Plastictity And Functional Recovery

Question 1

What is brain plasticity

Answer 1

Brains ability to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning

Question 2

Experience expectant plasticity

Answer 2

Changes in the brain only take place during infancy and childhood

Question 3

Experience dependent plasticity

Answer 3

Brain continues to create new neural pathways and alter existing ones as a result of learning and life experiences

Question 4

Synaptogenesis

Answer 4

New synapses are formed
Occur throughout life but during infancy there is an explosion of synaptic formation - exuberant synaptogenesis

Question 5

Neurogenesis

Answer 5

New neurons are grown
In infancy - responsible for populating the growing brain with neurons
Also occurs in childhood

Question 6

Synaptic pruning

Answer 6

Process of synapse elimination
Typically happens between early childhood and the onset of puberty
Can occur to a lesser extent in adulthood

Question 7

Effects of infancy on brain plasticity

Answer 7

Brain experiences rapid growth in the number of synaptic connections
Peaks at approx 15,000 by the age of 2-3 years old
Twice as many as adult brain

As we age - rarely used connections are deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened

Question 8

Kuhn et al - computer gaming

Answer 8

Illustrated potential benefits of playing supermario for 2 months - 30 mins a day
Significant increases in neural connections in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex
Responsible for key behaviours such as memory planning and motor performance

Supports synaptogenesis

Question 9

Maguire et al - taxi driving

Answer 9

Studied brains of London taxi drivers
Used mri
Found more grey matter in prosterior hippocampus than in matched control group
This part of brain associated with development of spatial and navigational skills

Question 10

Koppelmans et al - astronauts

Answer 10

Studied effect of no gravity in space and how this affects brain
27 astronauts brain scanned before a space mission then again upon return

Between 2 weeks - 6 months = cerebellum shrunk
Motor and somatosensory regions swollen

Question 11

Neural regeneration

Answer 11

Aka axon sprouting
Occurs when new nerve endings grow and connect with undamaged areas
Compensate for damaged areas and enable recovery of previously lost functioning
Type of synaptogenesis

Question 12

Neuronal unmasking

Answer 12

Occurs when dormant synapses in the brain are opened and become functional
Occur when surrounding brain area becomes damaged as the rate of input to these dormant synapses would increase opening connections to regions of the brain that are not normally activated allowing the gradual development of new structures
Type of synaptogenesis/neurogenesis

Question 13

Neural reorganisation

Answer 13

When brain transfers functions from the damaged area to undamaged sections of brain
Eg brocas on left damaged - right takes over