Functional recovery after trauma

Question 1

Mechanisms for recovery

Answer 1

Regenerative developments in brain functions arise from the brain plasticity, its ability to change structurally and functionally following trauma.

Question 2

Neuronal unmasking

Answer 2

Wall - identified dormant synapses in the brain. Ineffective synapses as unactivated; however, increasing the role of input can open them. Leads to connections to regions of the brain that are not normally activated

Question 3

Stem Cells

Answer 3

Can be implanted into the brain to replace dead cells. Or they could secrete growth factors that rescue the cells

Question 4

A03: Research support for animal studies

Answer 4

Tajin - rates with brain injury. One group recieved stem cells and the other didn’t. After three months, the stem cell group showed greater development

Question 5

A03: Age differences

Answer 5

Huttenlocher - Functional plasticity reduces with age

Question 6

A03: Education is a factor

Answer 6

Schnieder - those with a college degree were 7X more likely to have recovered after a year.