plasticity and functional recovery ao1 Flashcards
(22 cards)
Define plasticity
The brain adapts its structure and function as a result of the change in the environment/new learning/expirences
Reasons for plasticity
- Learning new skills/life experiences
- A result of developmental changes
- Response to direct trauma to brain
Define functional recovery
Healthy areas of the brain compensate for areas that have been lost or damaged
Form of plasticity
What is axonal sprouting and neural regeneration (support for functional recovery)
*processes which help to compensate for damaged areas of the brain
Neural regeneration - is the growth of new neuronal cells
axonal sprouting - undamaged axons grow new nerve endings to replace damaged ones and bridge connections to other neurons allowing for communication
List 3 factors affecting functional recovery
Age: children have the best ability to recover then young adults
Gender: men and women perform better on diff tasks following func recovery
education: ppl with more advanced eduacation were more likely to be able to recover from brain trauma
explain how age is a factor affecting functional recovery
EB was very young (2.5 years) when he had his LH removed. the had dramatic plastic changes bc the younger you are the more plastic the brain is. thus the more likely you are able to recover functions following brain trauma.
explain how education is a factor affecting brain plasticity
- schneider et al 2014 found that the brains of patients with a university education showed greater recovery compared to those who didnt finish high school.
- one year after brain injury they were more likely to be disability free.
explain gender as a factor affecting functional recovery
- ratcliff et al 2007 examined the relationship between gender and cog recovery after traumatic brain injury in 352 patients
- tested them on cog ability eg problem solving and working memory
- females did sig better than males on tests of attention and working memory whereas males outperformed males on visual analytical skills
Who and when investigated plasticity
*hint - Mario kart
Kuhn et al 2014
Describe Kuhn et al procedure
2 groups
Experimental - instructed to play Mario kart 30 minutes everyday day for 2 months
Control - instructed to not play video games in this time
Before and after expiriment she scanned their brain to assess change in brain volum
Findings Kuhn et al
Expirimental group had increased brain volume in multiple areas compared to control group
These areas were responsible for brain navigation, fine movement and planning
Conclusions of Kuhn et al
Repeated practice of video game lead to plastic changes in experimental group
specifically areas involved in planning, fine movement and spacial navigation had been rewired forming new neuronal connections
Psychology and economy
Funding research into different areas of neuronal therapies and diseases
Could cause people to benefit from CBT and then go back into their job
Psycho education in families of sufferers with neurodegenerative disorders to help them cope and understand its not their fault
Recruitment of homologous areas (structural changes in the brain)
and give an example
similar areas sometimes in the other hemisphere of the brain are used when an area of the brain is damages
eg if brocas area in left frontal lobe was damaged similar/equivalent area of right hemisphere takes over lost function
names of case study supporting recruitment of homologous areas
Italian patient EB studied by danellie et al 2013
what happened to patient EB
most of his left hemisphere removed at 2.5 years due to tumour
to what extent did the brain recover lost function in EB
- we know that left hemisphere contains lang centres
- so upon studying him until he became 14 they found initial issues w language post surgery but within 2 years he had recovered most of his language skill with most of it being near normal
- fmri scans revealed brain patterns for lang typically found in LH were in RH
who studied affect of diff environments in brain plasticity of rats
kemperman 1997
procedure kemperman
- 12 rats in ex group in complex environment w snacks (cheese popcorn) and obj to play with (tunnels, wheel)
- 12 rats in control group placed in labatory cages with as much food and water as they wanted
findings and conclusions of kemperman 1997
increase in number of neurons in hippocampus in ex group vs no change in con group.
thus supporting brain plas as experinces have changed brain struc. whereby new nerve pathways become stronger upon repeated exposure to expirence
maguire 2000 procedure
ex group - 16 right handed male london taxi drivers w an av 14 years of experience
control group - 50 right handed non male taxi drivers
- scanned brains of both groups w mri
maguire 2000 findings and conclusions
- london taxi drivers had larger posterior hippocampus than control
- they found a positive correlation, the more time ppt was a london taxi driver the larger the posterior hippocampus was
