Plasticity & Functional Brain Recovery

Question 1

What does it mean when they say the brain is plastic?

Answer 1

It can easily form and prune synaptic connections

Question 2

At age 2-3 what is the average peak of synaptic connections?

Answer 2

15,000

Question 3

Who created the taxi driver study and what did they find ?

Answer 3

Maguire et al
More volume of grey matter in the posterior hippocampus of London taxi drivers ( area linked to navigation)

Question 4

What is functional recovery?

Answer 4

After brain trauma - the healthy area of the brain can take over the functions of the damaged brain or even missing

Question 5

What are 3 structural changes in the brain?

Answer 5

•Axonal sprouting - growth of new nerve endings which connect with un damaged cells
• Denervation supersensitivity - axons that do a similar job become aroused to a higher level to compensate for the ones that are lost.
• Recruitment of homologous (similar) areas - the opposite side of the brain takes over specific tasks e.g. language production.

Question 6

The brain requires itself to create?

Answer 6

Secondary neural pathways/ synaptic connections

Question 7

Strength of plasticity?

Answer 7

+Plasticity may not change with age
Ladina bezzola - golf study
40-60 old
40hours golf
Changed numeral representation
FMRI
Motor cortex reduced compared to control as more efficient

Question 8

One limitation of functional recovery?

Answer 8

Schneider looked at time spent in education and disability free recovery
40% 16 years Ed DFR
10% 12 or less Ed DFR

Could be due to cognitive reserve