strokes & neuroplasticity Flashcards
There are two main types of stroke:
87% of them are…
ISCHAEMIC :
This is where a blood vessel is blocked
What can ischaemic strokes be caused by?
- a blood clot, or thrombus, forming at the site
- an embolus i.e material travelling in the bloodstream
There are two main types of stroke:
13% of them are…
HAEMORRHAGIC
caused by bleeding into the brain or the space around it, which can produce an intense headache
Symptoms of strokes
- PARALYSIS: when the brain cells die, nervous impulses can no longer travel along their fibres from the brains to effectors
- MUSCLE TONE IS LOST: because no muscle fibres are stimulated
- face may DROOP
What are the main risk factors?
- High blood pressure
- tobacco smoking
- obesity
- High blood cholesterol
- age
How can a stroke be diagnosed?
What can be used to rule out other possible causes?
- Physical examination and imaging e.g. CT or MRI scan
A blood test and electrocardiogram can be used to rule out other possible causes
What are the warning signs of a stoke?
F: does the FACE droop
A: can the patient raise both ARMS without one drifting
S: is their SPEECH slurred
T: TIME- phone 999 immediately
What is neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt by forming new connections between neurones.
What is neuroplasticity in response to?
It does this in response to new information (learning), sensory stimulation, development, damage, or dysfunction (so it happens throughout your life).
With reference to neuroplasticity, explain what would happen in response to stroke or brain damage?
after a stroke or a brain injury, the undamaged neurones in you brain will adapt to reconnect the damaged ones and create new pathways. Eventually some people may regain almost full brain function.
With reference to neuroplasticity, explain what would happen in response to loosing your sight
if you lose your sight, the parts of your brain that were used to interpret information from your eyes, can be adapted to be used for other senses.
Define developmental Plasticity
This is developmental plasticity- when neurones in the young brain rapidly sprout branches and form synapses.
Explain developmental plasticity
At birth, each neurone in the cerebral cortex has about 2,500 synapses.
By the time an infant is two or three years old, the number of synapses is approximately 15,000 per neuron.
This amount is about twice that of the average adult brain.
Explain the concept of the critical period
During early childhood (which is known as a critical period of development) the brain must receive certain sensory inputs in order to develop properly.
For example, in humans the development of language requires a lot of practice producing and decoding speech sounds. That is why every population on earth uses a similar “baby voice” to talk to children, emphasising sounds to help them learn.
Why might native Chinese speakers have difficulty pronouncing the letter “r”
When the critical period has ended, it becomes very difficult to learn to make new noises – for example this is why native Chinese speakers have difficulty pronouncing the English letter “r”.
