plasticity and functional recovery

Question 1

what is plasticity?

Answer 1

• frequently used nerve pathways will develop stronger connections whilst ones that are rarely used eventually die
• this allows plasticity to occur
• plasticity is the brains ability to change and adapt as a result of new experiences
• it continues to make new neural pathways and alter existing ones

Question 2

what is functional recovery?

Answer 2

• the transfer or redistribution of functions from damaged to undamaged areas of the brain after trauma

Question 3

what is neuronal unmasking?

Answer 3

• the process by which functional recovery occurs
• dormant synapses open connections to compensate for a nearby damaged area, which allows new connections to be activated

Question 4

give a strength of plasticity and functional recovery
1/3

Answer 4

kuhn et al found an increase in grey matter in various areas of the brain in the brains of participants who played video games for 30 minutes a day for 2 months. he concluded their training caused new synaptic connections in brain areas involved in playing these video games, providing evidence for plasticity

Question 5

counter the previous research

Answer 5

the increased grey matter in the brains of the experimental group may be the result of individual differences

Question 6

give a strength of plasticity and functional recovery
2/3

Answer 6

research provided evidence that mediation contributes to plasticity. a psychologist found that a group of 8 tibetan monks who frequently meditated had greater activation of neuronal activity than 10 student volunteers with no experience of meditating. this study highlighted the idea of plasticity and the short and long term impacts of mediation of the brains workings

Question 7

counter the previous research

Answer 7

the research used a small sample, and the control group was made of student volunteers. the results cannot be accurately generalised to the wider population, so we cannot conclude that plasticity will occur in everyone in the same way

Question 8

give a strength of plasticity and functional recovery
3/3

Answer 8

research by maguire et al supports the idea of brain plasticity. it was found that the posterior hippocampus was positively correlated with their time as a taxi driver, and that theirs was larger than those of a control group. this research that the brain can permanently change as a result of frequent exposure to a certain task

Question 9

counter the previous research

Answer 9

the research is considered to be biologically reductionist by only examining one single biological factors, the size of their hippocampus in relation to spatial navigation. it doesn’t account for different biological or cognitive processes also involved in spatial navigation. this reduces the validity of this research and therefore brain plasticity

Question 10

give a limitation of plasticity and functional recovery
1/1

Answer 10

there is evidence that the ability for functional recovery decreases with age. elbert et al found the capacity for neural reorganisation is better in children than in adults, which may explain why adults can find change more demanding than young people. this highlights that individual differences like age must be accounted for when assessing the likelihood of functional recovery