plasticity and functional recovery

Question 1

define plasticity

Answer 1

Plasticity describes the brain’s tendency to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning

Question 2

what is synaptic pruning?

Answer 2

As we age, synaptic pruning occurs - rarely used connections are deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened

• During infancy, the brain experiences rapid growth in synaptic connections, peaking at about 15,000 at age 2-3 years

Question 3

Maguire et al

Answer 3

• Maguire studied the brains of London taxi drivers = significantly more grey matter in the hippocampus (spatial and navigation skills )than a matched control group
• ‘The Knowledge’ test to assess their recall of city streets and possible routes
  → learning the routes of London altered the structure of the taxi drivers’ brains = supporting plasticity
  → a positive correlation was found - the longer they had been in the job, the more pronounced the structural difference

Question 4

functional recovery

Answer 4

• transfer of functions from a damaged area of the brain after trauma, to other undamaged areas.
• occur quickly after trauma and then slow down after several weeks or months
• The brain ‘rewires’ itself by forming new synaptic connections close to the area of damage

Question 5

what happens during functional recovery?

Answer 5

Secondary neural pathways that would not typically be used to carry out certain functions are activated to enable functioning to continue often in the same way as before (Doidge 2007)

Question 6

what changes occur in the brain when secondary neural pathways happen?

Answer 6

● Axonal sprouting - growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamaged cells to form new neuronal pathways
● Reformation of blood vessels
● Recruitment of homologous (similar) areas on the opposite side of the brain to perform specific tasks