Plasticity and Functional Recovery

Question 1

Eval 1 top (plasticity)

Answer 1

Kempermann said that enriched environmnet could alter the number of neurons in the brain

Question 2

eval 1 point (plasticity)

Answer 2

study done on rats.
those placed in the complex housed environmnent VS those in the lab simple environmne.
housed rats showed an increase in neurons, especially in the area of hippocumpus, which is associated with memory formation and novigation skills.
those in a simpler environmnet showed no chnages

Question 3

eval 1 tail (plasticity)

Answer 3

these are the clear evidences how the brain is able to change its structure, add neurons based on the experience

the only weakness is that it is a animal study, which means pure generalisation of it to humans may lead to simplifying the humans beahviour.

Question 4

eval 2 top plasticity

Answer 4

Magurie. Discovered that changes in the brain could be because of the extensive experience

Question 5

eval 2 point plastictiy

Answer 5

London taxi drivers.
using MRI compared the amount of grey matter VS control group.
Posterioir Hippocumpus area was significantly larger.
and the Volume of it had a positive correlation with the time the soend as a taxi drivers.

Question 6

eval 2 tail plasticity

Answer 6

This shows that the hippocumpus area was enlarget due to the speciality og job - spatual awareness, but more then that it supports the theory that it happens in line with the experience, as the highest level of plasticity is associated with the most extensive experience.

Question 7

eval 3 top (plastcity)

Answer 7

researchers demonstred that some practicises like meditation are able to change the brain

Question 8

eval 3 point (plasticity)

Answer 8

Davidson et al 2004
compared 8 practitioners Tibeten meditation with 10 student volunteers
given electrical sensors + mediatating for short period
the electrical sensors picked up much dreater activity of gamma rays in Monks. While students showed a slight increase.

Question 9

eval 3 tail plasticity

Answer 9

concluded that meditation not only changes the working of the brain in short term but also produces permanent changes, as Monks gamma activity was greater then students` even before meditiation

showing again tht experience leads to stronger permanent changes

Question 10

eval 1 top recovery

Answer 10

Tajiri provided evidences for the Stem cells in functional recovery (fr)

Question 11

eval 1 point FR

Answer 11

study of rats with injured brain areas.
one group = received stem cells into injured brain area
secon group = received solution containing no stem cells.
3 months
found: stem cells rats has shown developmnet of new neuron-like cells in the damaged area + migration of stem cels to the area of damage
other group - didnt show the same result

Question 12

eval 1 tail FR

Answer 12

this experiment supports the role of stem cells in FR, as the control group didnt develop the same cells

however, as it is an animal study…

Question 13

eval 2 top FR

Answer 13

Schneider at al concluded that those who had a collage degree (or equivavlent) where 7 times less likely to develop disability after trauma, than those who just finished school

Question 14

eval 2 point FR

Answer 14

carried out a Retrospecative study
using data from the US traumatic Brain injury
out of 769 patients 214 had disability-FREE recovery after 1 year.
32,3% from 214 patients = had 16 or more years of education
30,8% 12-15 years of education
9,7% less than 12 years of education

Question 15

education

eval 2 tail FR

Answer 15

researchers concluded that education was an important factor in neural adaptation during recovery from traumatic brain injury.

Question 16

ao1

what is plasticity

Answer 16

brian’s ability to modify its structures and functions based on experience

Question 17

when plasticity happens

Answer 17

throughput the lifetime

Question 18

how plasticity happens

Answer 18

new experience - prompts the use of new conncetions.
the conncetions if fires a lot - grows stronger. Especially those that fire one after another, rather then simultaneously.
and those that are not used - are lost because of synaptic pruning, which is the proccess of removing conncetion if its not being used

Question 19

what is functional recovery

Answer 19

brains ability to recover its functions and abilities after injury

Question 20

when FR happens

Answer 20

after physical injury

Question 21

how FR happens (1)

Answer 21

Neuronal Unmasking
* dormant synapses - they are blocekd because have low rate of imput
* if increase the rate of imput it will unblock the synapses
* unmasking opens new conncetions to regions that are damaged
* creating lateral spread of activity which develops the conncetions

Question 22

how FR happens (2)

Answer 22

Stem Cells
-uncpecialised cells that can adopt the structure or function or characteristic

Question 23

how stem cels work (3 ways)

Answer 23

1. replace the damaged ones
2. secrete growth factor (rescue the dmamged cells)
3. connect damaged areas to undamaged . which helps to repair naural tissues

Question 24

form of neural plasticity

Answer 24

Axon Sprouting - undamaged axon grows new brancehs in respons to injury

Question 25

form of neural plasticity 2

Answer 25

Denervation Supersensetivity - damaged areas become hypersensetive to neurotransmitters after a nerve supply was damaged to that area