Plasticity and functional recovery

Question 1

What was Lashley’s research?

Answer 1

He removed areas of the brain in rats and tested their ability to learn a maze

Question 2

What were the findings of Lashley’s research?

Answer 2

No area was proven to be more important than the other

Question 3

What were the conclusions of Lashley’s research?

Answer 3

Learning requires the whole brain, not just an area

Question 4

What is evidence for holistic theory?

Answer 4

Lashley’s research

Question 5

What is evidence for localisation?

Answer 5

The case of Phineas Gage

Question 6

What was the case of Phineas Gage?

Answer 6

He had a metal rod pass through his brain, taking out his whole left frontal lobe, which changed his personality into being very aggressive and impatient but he lived normally

Question 7

What is plasticity?

Answer 7

The brain has the ability to change and adapt over time to adapt to function, including loss and growth of connections

Question 8

What is plasticity evidence for?

Answer 8

Holistic theory - the brains ability to adapt and change

Question 9

What is research support for plasticity?

Answer 9

Eleanor Maguire and Draganski

Question 10

What is Eleanor Maguire’s finding?

Answer 10

Found significantly more volume of grey matter in posterior hippocampus of London taxi drivers which is associated with navigational skills

Question 11

What are the conclusions from Eleanor Maguire’s study?

Answer 11

Learning experience alters the structure taxi driver’s brains and the more time spent as a driver, the greater the difference

Question 12

What were the findings of Draganski’s study?

Answer 12

He imaged brain of medical students 3 months before and after final exams where learning-induced changes occurred in posterior hippocampus and parietal cortex as a result of learning

Question 13

What is functional recovery?

Answer 13

After the brain has been damaged, it has the ability to reassign the duties of a damaged part of the brain to another functioning part

Question 14

What are the types of functional recovery?

Answer 14

Axonal sprouting, denervation supersensitivity and using homologous areas on opposite side of brain

Question 15

What is axonal sprouting?

Answer 15

Growth of new nerve endings to connect to new pathways

Question 16

What is denervation supersensitivity?

Answer 16

Axons that do a similar job to the damaged area become aroused at a higher level

Question 17

What are homologous areas on opposite sides of brain?

Answer 17

Specific tasks can still be performed by the same area on the opposite side of the brain

Question 18

How dos denervation supersensitivity occur?

Answer 18

Axonal sprouting is the underlying process by unmasking

Question 19

What is an issue of plasticity?

Answer 19

There are individual differences as we don’t all recover to the same extent

Question 20

What does individual differences mean?

Answer 20

The brain deteriorates with age, affecting the extent and speed of recovery so there may be more axonal sprouting and reorganisation in younger brains

Question 21

What are examples of individual differences?

Answer 21

Age and education

Question 22

What is research evidence for age?

Answer 22

Teuber found 60% of brain damaged soldiers under 20 recovered from movement and visual problems, but only 20% of those over 26 did

Question 23

What is research evidence for education?

Answer 23

Schneider studied people with head injuries from traffic accidents and falls and all he been treated in casualty and followed a rehabilitation program

Question 24

What were the findings of Schneider’s study?

Answer 24

Overall, 28% recovered but there were individual differences as 39% of graduates recovered and returned to normal life, but only 10% of those who left school at 16 did

Question 25

What is the conclusions of Schneider’ research?

Answer 25

More educated graduates had brains of greater use due to ‘cognitive reserve’ and this allowed them to function better when damaged to compensate for lost function

Question 26

What is a limitation of plasticity?

Answer 26

Cortical reorganisation

Question 27

What is research evidence for cortical reorganisation?

Answer 27

Ramachandran and Hirstein - reorganisation following limb loss and cause unpleasant and painful side-effects