plasticity and functional recovery

Question 1

what is brain plasticity

Answer 1

Brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt because of experience.Research has demonstrated that the brain continues to create new neural pathways and alter existing ones in response to changing experiences.

Question 2

research for brain plasticity (maguire et al)

Answer 2

Maguire et al. found that the posterior hippocampal volume of London taxi drivers’ brains was positively correlated with their time as a taxi driver and that there were significant differences between the taxi drivers’ brains and those of controls. This shows that the brain can permanently change in response to frequent exposure to a particular task.

Question 3

what is functional recovery

Answer 3

the transfer of functions from a damaged area of the brain after trauma to other undamaged areas. It can do this through a process termed neuronal unmasking where ‘dormant’ synapses (which have not received enough input to be active) open connections to compensate for a nearby damaged area of the brain.

Question 4

research for functional recovery (taijiri et al)

Answer 4

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.