Plasticity and functional recovery Flashcards
define plasticity
brains ability to change and adapt its structures and procceses as a consequence of excperience and new learning
define synaptic prunning
as we age connections that are not regularly used are deleted and ones used regularly are strengthened
outline findings research investigating plasticity
brains of London taxi drivers were studied
greater volume of grey matter in the hippocampus in those who had been taxi drivers for a long period of time in comparison to those who had been doing it for a short period of time
what is the posterior hippocampus responsible for
spatial and navigational skills
who conducted research on plasticty
maguire et al
what was the conclusion of maguires research
the taxi drivers greater knowledge of the roads suggests the structure of their brain had been altered by their excperience=plasticty
define functional plasticity
recovery of abilities of functional mental processes that have been affected as a result of brain damadge or diease
name two structural changes that may occur due to plastcity and functional recovery
axonal sprouting
recuritment of homolgous areas
define axonal sprouting
the growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamadged nerve cells to form new neuronal pathways
define recruitment of homolgous areas
areas from opposite side of the brain take over the function of the damadged area of the brain
how does functional recovery work
the brain is able to rewire itself to form new synaptic connections close to the damadged area of the brain
secondary neural pathways that would not be typically used to carry out certain functions are activated to enable functioning to continue
name the factors affecting recovery after trauma
perserverance
age
gender
education
stress and alchol
who provides reserach to support plasticty
EB as he excperienced recruitment of homoglous areas
how does plasticity have pratical applications
led to the development of neurorehabillitation
where a patient practices repeatdly using the affected side of their body whilist restraining the unaffeteced side
