plasticity and functional recovery ao3 Flashcards
Research support - maguire 2000
P: Supporting evidence for the impact of experience on neural connections is provided by Maguire et al.
(2000)
E; In her research it was found that London taxi drivers have significantly more grey matter in their posterior hippocampus, which is an area involved in the development of spatial and navigational skills than in a matched control group.
E:As part of their training, London cabbies must take a complex test called “The Knowledge”. The test involves them knowing streets, shortcuts, landmarks etc. within a mile radius of Charing Cross.
Furthermore, more experienced can drivers the more pronounced the neural connections were.
L:This suggests that as a result of this learning experience the brain structure of the cab drivers was altered, which provides research support for brain plasticity.
Practical applications
P: Understanding the processes involved in plasticity and functional recovery has practical applications in the the field of neurorehabilitation.
E: Following illness or injury to the brain, spontaneous recovery tends to slow down after a number of weeks. Due to this, a form of physical therapy may be needed to maintain improvements in functioning
E: Techniques may include movement therapy and electrical stimulation of the brain to counter the deficits in motor and/or cognitive functioning that may be experienced following a stroke, for instance.
L: Although this shows that the brain sometimes needs help if it to “fix itself completely and successfully. it also shows that the research has been used to improve treatment for people who have suffered trauma to their brain, thereby increasing their chances of disability free recovery..
Research support for plasticity
P: research support for plasticity comes from Kuhn et al 2014
E: ppts split into 2 groups, the experimental group was instructed to play Mario kart for 30 mins everyday for 2 months and the control group were instructed to not play video games in this time. Their brains were scanned before and after the study
E: it was found that the experimental group had more grey matter in the areas of the brain responsible for brain navigation, fine movement and planning
L: this shows how repeated practice of the video game acted as the change in environment which lead to plastic changes in the brain responsible for navigation and movement supporting the idea of Brain plasticity. As if this wasn’t the case their would be no difference in grey matter in these specific areas when comparing the 2 groups
Limiting factor in the extent of brain plasticity
P: one factor that limits the extent of brain plasticity is age
E; whereby elbert et al wanted to study Brain plasticity. He gave a group of adults and children different learning tasks and scanned their brains before and after learning
E: he found that the Brains of children had far more plastic changes then in adult brains.
L : thus the older the adults were the less the less plastic their brain was. Therefore old age is implicated in reducing the extent of brain plasticity