Plasticity and Funcitonal Recovery of the Brain after Trauma Flashcards
Why can brain be considered plastic
has ability to change throughout our life
during infancy what does the brain experience
rapid growth in number of synaptic connections it has
what is the peak of synaptic connections the brain has and at what age
15,000 synaptic connections per neurons
2-3
15,000 synaptic connections per neuron is 2x that in the
adult brain
what is synaptic prunning
when as we age rarely used connectins deleted
frequently used connections strengthend
people once thorught the adult brain wasn’t
capable of change
even though people thought adult brain wasn’t capable of change what do we understand now
synaptic pruning enables lifeliong plasticity
what is plasticity
brain’s tendency to change& adapt as result of experience &new learning
generally involves growth of new connections
What did Maguire et al study in 2000
brains of london taxi drivers
What did Maguire et al find
significantly more vol of grey matter
in posterior hippocampus than in matched control group
hippocampus associated with
development of
spacial and navigational skills
in humans and other animals
as part of training to be a taxi driver hacve to take complex test called
the knowledge
the knowledge assesses
recall of city streets and possible routes
what did maguire et al find about ‘The Knowledge’
learnignn xp alters structure of drivers brain
what adduitional info did maguire et al find about ‘The Knowledge’
longer the taxi drivers had been in teh job
the more pronounced the structural difference waas
(positive correlation)
who else had a similar finding of research into plasticity
draganski
what did draganski do
imaged brain of med students before and after final exams
what did draganski find with teh med students
learning induced changes were seen to have occured in posteriror hippocampi and parietal cortex presumambly due tot eh learning
Functional Recovery - following physical injury or other form os trauma like a stroke what are unnaffectesd parts of teh brain able to do
adapt and compensate for damaged areas
Functional Recovery - what is an example of neural plasticity
functinoal recovery that may occur int eh brain after trauma
Functional Recovery - healthy brain areas may take over
functions of those areas that are damaged, destroyed or even missing
Functional Recovery - what do neural scientists suggest about functinoal recovery
occurs quickly after truama (Spontaneous recovery)
then slow down after several weeks/months
Functional Recovery - after FR has slowed down a patient may require
rehabilitative therapy to further their recovery
Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - how is brain able to rewire and organise itself q
by froming new synaptic cconnections close to area of damage
Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - how is brain able to rewire and reorganise itself
by froming new synaptic connectinos close to area of damage
like avoiding riadworks on way to school by findign diff route
Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - what happens to secondary neural pathways
2ndary neural pathways that wouldnt typically be used to cary out certain functinos are activated to enable functioning to continue in same way before
Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - process of brain recovering is upported by
number of structural changes in rbian including
axonal sprouting
denervation supersensitivity
recruitment of homologous areas on oppostie side of brain
Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - axonal sprouting is
growth of new nerve endings that connect otehr undamaged nerve cells to form new neuronal pathwyas
Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - when does denervation supersensitivity occur
when axons that do similar jobs become aroused to a higher level to compensate for the ones that have been lost as result of injury or other truama
Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - however denervation supersensitivity can have negative consequences of
oversensititvity to messages such as pain
Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - of recruiting homologous areas on opposite sides of brain means
specific tasks can still be performed
Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - give eg of recruitment of homologous areas on opp side of the brain
if brocas area was damaged on left side of brain
right side equivalent would carry out its funtions
Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - what happens after a while during recruitment of homologous areas on opp sides of brian
functionality may shift back to the original side
in brocas area e.g back to teh left side
STRENGTH - Practical Applications - Point for both
understandin processes involved in x and xx has practical applications in field of x
following x or x to brain, x recovery tends to slow down after #of weeks
due to this, a form of x therapy may be needed to miantian x in x
techniques may include x therapy adn x stimulatgion of brain to x deficxits in x and or x functioning that may be xp in a stroke for e.g
although this shows the brain x needs help to fix itself x and x it also shows that the x has been used to improve x for people who have x trauma to theri x thereby increasing hteir chances of a x x x
understandin processes involved in plasticity and functional recovery has practical applicaitons in field of neurorehabilitation
following illness or injury to brain spontaneous recovery tends to slow down after #of weeks
due to this form of physical therapy may be needed to miantian imporvements in functioning
techniques may include movement therapy adn leccy stimulatgion of brain to counter deficxits in morotr and or cognitivr functioning that may be xp in a stroke for e.g
although this shows the brain sometimes needs help to fix itself completley and succesfully it aslos shows that the research has been used to improve treatment for people who have sufferd trauma to theri brain thereby increasing hteir chances of a disbility free recovery
LIMITATION - COUNTERPOINT TO MAGUIRE/SUPPROTING RESEARCH - issue debate
some psychs suggest research investigating plastiticty of brain is x
e.g M’s research is biologically x and only examines a x biological factor (hippocampus x) in relation to x memory
this approach is x and fails to take into account all of diff bio/x processes involved in x navigation which can x our x
therfore althoughh x shows brian can x in resonse to fx exposure in a particular x
some psychs suggest that a x approach to understanding x human behaviour may be more x
some psychs suggest research investigating plastiticty of brain is ltd
e.g M’s research is biologically reductinist and only examines a single biological factor (hippocampus sixze ) in relation to spatial memory
this approach is ltd and fails to take into account all of diff bio/cog processes involved in spatiial navigation which can limit our understanding
therfore althoughh M shows brian canc hange in resonse to frequent exposure in a particular task
some psychs suggest that a holisitc approach to understanding complex human behaviour may be more appropriate
limiation - negative plasticity
a limitatino of plasticity is that it may have negative x consequences
evidence has shown the brain’s adaptation to prolonged x use leads to poorer x funcitonig in later life as well as an x risk of x
also x-x% of amputees have been known to develop x x syndrome
these sensations are x and x and thought to be due to cortical x in the x cortex that occurs as a reuslt of x loss
this suggest teh brains x to adapt to damage is not always x
a limitatino of plasticity is that it may have negative bhavioural consequences
evidence has shown the brain’s adaptation to prolonged drug use leads to poorer cognitive funcitonig in later life as well as an increased risk of dementia
also 60-80% of amputees have been known to develop phantom limb syndrome
these sensations are unpleasnsat and pianful and thought to be due to cortical reorganisation in the somatosensory cortex that occurs as a reuslt of limb loss
this suggest teh brains ability to adapt to damage is not always beneficial
limitation of functional recovery
level of educaino may x recovery x
x et al revealed the x time people with a brain injury had spent in x - taken as an x of their cognitive x - the x their chances of a disabilty free recovery
x% of those with a DFR had more than xyrs of education compared with x% of those who had less than x years of educaiton
this would imply people with brian x who have insufficient xxx are x liekly to achieve a full x
level of educaino may influnce recovery rates
schneider et al revealed the more time people with a brain injury had spent in education - taken as an indicatin of their cognitive reserve - the greater their chances of a disabilty free recovery
40% of those with a DFR had more than 16yrs of education compared with 10% of those who had less than 12 years of educaiton
this would imply people with brian damadge who have insufficient DFR are less liekly to achieve afull recovery
strength - evidence - functinoal recovery
There is x to support the claim for functional recovery.
x et al. (2013) found that x cells provided to rats after brain x showed a clear x of x-like cells in the area of injury.
This demonstrates the x of the brain to create new x using neurons x by stem cells.
There is research to support the claim for functional recovery.
Taijiri et al. (2013) found that stem cells provided to rats after brain trauma showed a clear development of neuron-like cells in the area of injury.
This demonstrates the ability of the brain to create new connections using neurons manufactured by stem cells.
