Plasticity and functional recovery of brain after trauma Flashcards
What is Neuroplastcicty
the ability for our brain to change structure and function in response to our environment
What is Functional Recovery
the ability of the brain to redirect its functions to other areas of the brain
What is synaptic blooming
where thousands of new neutral connections are made in order for rich learning to occur. Happens from age 2-3
What is Synaptic pruning
When unused connections are ‘pruned’ (wither away)
What was Hill, Kolanowaski and Gill (2011) study about
It researched into Alzheimer Disease.
Evidence supports the maintenance of brain plasticity throughout againg and as in the presence of ALzheimer.
Brain is able to adapt by altering the utilisation of brain networks
What is Maguire et al (2000) study about
Taxi driver experiment
The hippocampus was larger for london black cab drivers
There was a positive correlation between length of time they had been driving and hippocampus
What is Mechelli et al (2004) study about
Bilingual people had larger parietal cortices then Monolingual.
So language is not just in frontal lobe but also the parietal lobe
What is axon sprouting
growth of new axons to form new connections
What is Reformation of blood vessels
When other neurons work at a higher level to compensate for lost neurons
What is Recvitment of homologous areas
when a specific function moves to opposite area of brain (other hemisphere). so task can still be performed.
What is negative plasticty
when the brains ability to rewire itself has negative consequences
What is phantom limb syndrome
A for of negative (maladaptive) plasticity where people who have had a limb removed continue to feel it
