Plasticity & Functional Recovery Flashcards
Plasticity & Functional Recovery
The brain is not a static organ, and the functions and processes of the brain can change as a result of experience and injury.
Brain Plasticity
Brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt because of new experience.
Research has demonstrated that the brain continues to create new neural pathways and alter existing ones in response to changing experiences.
Functional Recovery
Functional recovery is the transfer of functions from a damaged area of the brain after trauma to other undamaged areas.
It can do this through a process called ‘neuronal unmasking’ where ‘dormant’ synapses (which have not received enough input to be active) open connections to compensate for a nearby damaged area of the brain allowing new connections in the brain to be activated, thus recovering any damage occurring in specific regions.
Strength - Plasticity & Functional Recovery
Point: There is research supporting the idea of brain plasticity.
Evidence: Kuhn et al. found a significant increase in grey matter in various regions of the brain after participants played video games for 30 minutes a day over a 2-month period. Similarly, Davidson et al. demonstrated the permanent change in the brain generated by prolonged meditation: Buddhist monks who meditated frequently had a much greater activation of gamma waves (which coordinate neural activity) than did students with no experience of meditation.
Justification: These two studies highlight the idea of plasticity and the brain’s ability to adapt as a result of new experience, whether it is video games or meditation.
Implication: Therefore, this increases the validity of the theory of brain plasticity and functional recovery.
Strength - Plasticity & Functional Recovery
Point: There is research to support the notion of brain plasticity.
Evidence: Maguire et al. found that the posterior hippocampal volume of London taxi drivers’ brains was positively correlated with their time as a taxi driver and that there were significant differences between the taxi drivers’ brains and those of controls.
Justification: This shows that the brain can permanently change in response to frequent exposure to a particular task.
Implication: Henceforth, this provides evidence for brain plasticity.
Counter-argument: However, some psychologists suggested that research investigating the plasticity of the brain is limited.
Evidence: For example, Maguire’s research is biologically reductionist and only examines a single biological factor (the size of the hippocampus) in relation to spatial memory.
Justification: This suggests that this approach is limited as it fails to take into account all of the different biological and cognitive processes involved in spatial navigation which may limit our understanding. Other psychologists suggest that a holistic approach (looking at the person as a whole) to understanding complex human behaviour may be more appropriate.
Implication: As a result, this is a limitation of the theory of brain plasticity.
(Other possible argument could be how Maguire’s study showed that it was ‘positively correlated’ therefore this doesn’t necessarily imply cause and effect.)
Strength - Plasticity & Functional Recovery
Point: A strength of research examining plasticity and functional recovery is the application of the findings to the field of neurorehabilitation.
Evidence: Understanding the processes of plasticity and functional recovery led to the development of neurorehabilitation which uses motor therapy and electrical stimulation of the brain to counter the negative effects and deficits in motor and cognitive functions following accidents, injuries and/or strokes.
Justification: This demonstrates the positive application of research in this area to help improve the cognitive functions of people suffering from injuries.
Implication: This is therefore a strength of research into brain plasticity and functional recovery as it has economic implications. If more people are rehabilitated from their injuries it means that they can go back to work, henceforth contributing to the economy.
Weakness - Plasticity & Functional Recovery
Point: There is research evidence suggesting that it is possible for the ability of functional recovery to deteriorate with age.
Evidence: Elbert et al. concluded that the capacity for neural reorganisation is much greater in children than in adults, meaning that neural regeneration is less effective in older brains. This may explain why adults find change more demanding than do young people.
Justification: Therefore, we must consider individual differences when assessing the likelihood of functional recovery in the brain after trauma.
Implication: This is a limitation of research into functional recovery as it reduces the internal validity.
