Plasticity and Functional Recovery of the Brain

Question 1

Plasticity (brain/neurol)

Answer 1

The brain’s plasticity refers to the brains ability to change and adapt as as result of experience.

Research shows that the brain continues to create new neural pathways and alter existing ones in order to adapt to new experiences as a result of learning.

Question 2

Plasticity as a Result of Life Experience

Answer 2

Boyke et al (2008) found the evidence of brain plasticity in 60 year olds taught a new skill - juggling. They found increases in grey matter in the visual cortex (although when practicing stopped this was reversed).

Question 3

Playing video games

Answer 3

Kuhn et al. (2014). Participants trained for at least 30 minutes a day for 2 months on Super Mario.
Significant increase in grey matter in several areas of the brain.
Resulted in new synaptic connections in brain areas involved in spatial navigation, strategic planning, working memory and motor performance.

Question 4

Meditation

Answer 4

Davidson et al. (2004) - 8 Tibetan monks and 10 volunteers who had never meditated before were asked to meditate for short periods.

Found much greater gamma wave activity (coordinates neuronal activity) in the monks than the students, even before meditation began.

They concluded that meditation not only affects the brain in the short-term but may also produce permanent changes.

Question 5

Plasticity can be negative

Answer 5

Examples of this would include prolonged drug issues leading to poorer cognitive functioning , and old age being associated with dementia.
Both are due to changes in the brain.