Chapter 5 Flashcards
What is neuroplastcity?
Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain and other parts of the nervous system to change in response to experience.
What are synapses?
The site where adjacent neurons communicate by transmitting neural signals to one another.
What are neurons (not definition)
the building blocks of the brain and nervous system
What is synaptic plasticity?
Refers to the ability of the synapse to change in response to experience
What is strengthening in regards to synaptic plasticity?
Occurs through continual use of synaptic connections, or through growth of new, additional connections. The synapse strengthens the more it is used.
What is weakening in regards to synaptic plasticity?
Occurs through disuse of synaptic connections, results in decay or elimination of synapse. ‘Use it or lose it’
Through synaptic plasticity, ___?
The brain can reorganise and rearrange neural connections and pathways based on which parts are over or underused.
What are the factors influencing brain plasticity?
Experience-expectant plasticity and experience-dependent plasticity
What is experience-expectant plasticity?
Where the brain changes in response to environmental experiences that are ordinarily expected. for example, some birds need to hear a specific song in their early days in life, otherwise they can never learn.
Relate critical and sensitive periods to experience-expectant plasticity.
it has critical and sensitive periods. For example, a child surrounded by Korean-speaking people will be exposed to different sounds and tones, and therefore will learn Korean. If they are not exposed to this, it will be more difficult for them to do so (?)
What is experience-dependent plasticity?
Brain change that modifies part of its neuronal structure that is already present. It is unique and may occur at any time throughout the lifespan. There is no sensitive or critical period for this.
What is neuroplasticity in response to brain injury?
The brain can recover from or compensate for lost function to maximise remaining functions in event of brain injury.
What are the types of change to neuroplasticity in response to brain injury?
Generation of new networks, reassignment of functions, neurogenesis, sprouting, rerouting and pruning.
What is sprouting?
When a new neural pathway is created, or an extension of a pre-existing neuron.
What is rerouting?
Occurs when new connections are made between neurons to create alternate neural pathways.
What is pruning?
The elimination of weak, ineffective or unused synapses.
It is the brain’s way of fine-tuning neural circuits to maintain efficient brain functioning.
What does sprouting, rerouting and pruning achieve in response to brain injury?
It enables neurons to restore or compensate for lost function following brain injury and/or to maximize remaining functions.
What is a ‘brain injury’?
Brain damage that impairs or interferes with normal/typical functioning of the brain, temporarily or permanently.
What is an ‘acquired brain injury’?
Used to differentiate brain injury from neurodevelopmental disorders that a person is born with
- a brain injury that is acquired due to actions in life.
What is meant by ‘traumatic brain injury?’
A type of acquired brain injury which occurs when external force causes damage to the brain
- e.g blow to head
What is Aphasia?
A language disorder which results from acquired brain injury to area responsible for language production or processing.
What are the primary signs of Aphasia?
Difficulty in expressing oneself when speaking, trouble understanding speech, difficulty reading and writing.
What are the types of Aphasia?
Fluent, non-fluent and pure
What is fluent Aphasias?
Where speech is easily produced and flows freely, but sentences don’t make sense, and the person has difficulties understanding what is heard or read.
