plasticity + functional recovery

Question 1

brain plasticity

Answer 1

• number of synaptic connections peaks at infancy (15,000) at 2-3 yrs
• age increase = connections decrease
  (rarely used are deleted and frequently are strengthened i.e synaptic pruning)

Question 2

research

Answer 2

maguire : taxi drivers
-London cab drivers must take ‘The Knowledge’ test to assess street recall
- FOUND more volume of grey matter in posterior hippocampus than control grp
(PH associated with spatial and navigational skils)
Longer they had been working = more pronounced structural difference (positive correlation)

Question 3

functional recovery

Answer 3

healthy areas compensate for damaged:
-can occur quickly after trauma then slow down for weeks/ months
-rehabilitation may be required

Question 4

steps of recovery

Answer 4

secondary neural pathways would be used:
1/ axonal sprouting: new nerve endings growth and connect with other undamaged nerve cells to form new neruonal pathways
2/ reformation of blood vessels
3/ recruitment of similar (homologous) areas on opposite side of brain