Plasticity Flashcards
What is meant by plasticity?
The brain’s ability to adapt and change as a result of learning and experience.
What are some of the reasons for plasticity?
-Learning new skills.
-Trauma to an area of the brain.
-Developmental changes.
-Indirect effects of damage e.g brain swelling.
What is meant by synaptogenesis?
The idea that newborn babies gain synaptic connections quickly as they learn rapidly.
What is meant by synaptic pruning?
When the brain gets rid of connections if they aren’t being used. Mainly happens with children.
Outline Kuhn et al’s research on brain plasticity.
-Made a group of pps play Super Mario for 30 mins a day.
-Found that after 20 months, there was significantly more grey matter in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum.
-Grey matter helps you think more efficiently.
-Shows that due to the demands of video games, new synaptic connections are made.
Outline Davidson et al’s research on brain plasticity.
-Compared Tibetan monks to control group.
-Measured level of gamma wave activity during meditation - associated with high levels of thought + focus.
-Found Tibetan monks had more gamma wave activity.
-Shows prolonged meditation creates a permanent change in the brain.
What are 2 strengths of plasticity?
Research support
-Maguire et al: taxi drivers had more grey matter in their posterior hippocampus after training for ‘the knowlegde’. Also found a positive correlation between the length of time spent taxi driving and the size of the hippocampus.
-Shows gaining knowledge leads to increase grey matter.
Practical application
-Research has contributed to ‘neurorehabilitation’.
-Physical therapy can be used to continue to counter deficits in functioning after trauma .
-Improves quality of life + benefits economy.
-Real world application.
What is one limitation of plasticity?
May have negative behavioural consequences.
-Development of ‘phantom limb’ syndrome means amputees experience pain in missing limb.
-Result of cortical reorganisation in the somatosensory area.
-Ability to adapt may not always be useful.
