plasticity and functional recovery of the brain

Question 1

what is meant by the term plasticity

Answer 1

the brain’s ability to adapt and change as a result of experience and learning

Question 2

what is meant by the term functional recovery

Answer 2

moving functions from a damaged area of the brain after trauma to other undamaged areas

Question 3

what is meant by synaptic pruning

Answer 3

• learning and new experiences cause neural pathways to strengthen
• neural pathways used infrequently weaken and die

Question 4

outline and evaluate research into the effect of playing video games on neural plasticity

Answer 4

• video game group trained 30 mins daily for 2 months
• found significant increase in grey matter in trained group but not control
  -suggests training had resulted in new synaptic connections in skills important for gaming
• small sample size
• hard to generalise because it’s a niche task
• shows support for plasticity

Question 5

outline and evaluate research into the effect of meditation on neural plasticity

Answer 5

• 8 practitioners of Tibetan meditation with 10 volunteers with no previous experience
• electrodes picked up much more gamma wave activity in monks and only slight increase in control
• meditation may not only change working of the brain in the short term but may produce permanent changes
• small sample size
• correlation and not causation (were there cofounding variables)

Question 6

outline research into how plasticity can be negative

Answer 6

• Matthews: aggression and computer games
• random allocation of 44 pps into violent video game group or non-violent group
• fMRI scans taken to see immediate measurement of brain function after playing
• violent condition increases activity in amygdala and decreases activity in frontal cortex
• demonstrates short term negative effect of plasticity

Question 7

describe Maguire’s research into neural plasticity

Answer 7

• london taxi drivers
• MRI scanner to calculate size and grey matter volume in their hippocampus compared to a control group
• posterior hippocampi in taxi drivers larger than those in the control group
• posterior hippocampi volume positively correlated with amount of time spent taxi driving
• gives evidence brain changes in response to environment and plasticity occurs to meet specific demands of individual lifestyles