Week 13

Question 1

Choose the correct level at which plasticity can be analyzed in (smallest to largest):

A. Synaptic organization → mitotic activity/molecular structure → cortical maps → behavioral → physiology → neuroimaging

B. Mitotic activity/molecular structure → physiology → synaptic organization → cortical maps → neuroimaging → behavioral

C. Mitotic activity/molecular structure → synaptic organization → physiology → cortical maps → neuroimaging → behavioral

D. Synaptic organization → mitotic activity/molecular structure → cortical maps → physiology → behavioral → neuroimaging

Answer 1

Correct answer: C (We only need to know the behavioral, cortical, and physiological for the exam)

Question 2

T/F: An example of behavioral level plasticity is that learning and remembering new info will constitute changes in the nervous system cells and become a neural record of the learned info.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

How can plasticity be explored at the cortical map level?

Answer 3

It can be seen when the cortex is directly stimulated with micro-electrodes to induce movements or by using functional imaging to map the areas activated when participants are engaged in various behaviors.

Question 4

If plasticity is explored at the physiological level, what is the main hypothesis tested?

Answer 4

That electrical stimulation can change the nervous system

Question 5

What two methods are being used to study plasticity at physiological level? How are they initiated?

Answer 5

1. Long-term potentiation
2. Kindling

They are induced via high-frequency electrical stimulation that is applied to the hippocampus which results in long term change in synapse efficiency

Question 6

T/F: Kindling is a phenomenon of seizure-induced plasticity referring to the progressive induction of permanently increased seizure susceptibility in response to repeated evoked seizures.

Answer 6

True

Question 7

How is kindling used to study epilepsy?

Answer 7

It induces a predictable sequence of gradually larger functional and structural changes in neuro-circuits which then increase seizure susceptibility and eventually result in recurrent spontaneous seizures

Question 8

What is synaptic plasticity?

Answer 8

Changes that occur at synaptic level to either strengthen or weaken the connection b/w 2 neurons –> therefore increase or decrease the amount of neuronal activity.

Question 9

What is Long term potentiation?

Answer 9

A type of synaptic plasticity; results in long-term changes in synapses strengthening
which leads to long lasting increases in signal transmission b/w neurons

Optimal conditions → increased activity can persist indefinitely and has been associated with changes in dendritic length and spine density in the postsynaptic neuron.

Question 10

T/F: Plasticity is the regeneration of dead neurons.

Answer 10

False, plasticity is the brain’s capacity to compensate for neuronal death by reorganizing neural circuits to circumvent their absence

Question 11

T/F: Plasticity occurs at a small and large scale which encompasses the cellular/molecular level as well as behavioral.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

T/F Plasticity allows for reinstitution of function via regeneration of neurons

Answer 12

False, neurons cannot be regenerated.

Correct phrase: Plasticity allows for reinstitution of function via compensation

Question 13

Can brain plasticity be maladaptive? If yes, explain how it can be maladaptive and provide an example.

Answer 13

Yes. When it is maladaptive, it hinders functional recovery and/or develops unwanted symptoms. Ex: Phantom Limb

Question 14

Describe the relationship between synaptic plasticity and long term potentiation?

Answer 14

All long-term potentiation is synaptic plasticity, not all synaptic plasticity is long-term
potentiation

Question 15

What are the 10 principles of brain plasticity?

Answer 15

• Plasticity is common to all nervous systems and the principles are conserved
• Plasticity can be analyzed at many levels.
• Two general types of plasticity both derive from experience
• Similar behavioral changes can correlate with different plastic changes
• Experience dependent changes interact with each other
• Plasticity is age dependent
• Plasticity is time dependent
• Plasticity is related to the relevance or the experience
• Plasticity is related to the intensity or frequency of experiences
• Plasticity can be maladaptive

Question 16

What are the two types of plasticity that can be distinguished in a healthy brain (related to the third principle)?

Answer 16

Experience Expectant Plasticity - develops different brain systems requiring specific type of exercises

Experience Dependent Plasticity - reflects brain changes necessary to modify neuronal ensembles that are already present

Question 17

T/F: Synaptic changes reflect changes in neuronal ensembles underlying new behaviors?

Answer 17

True

Question 18

T/F: When a person is learning a single task, synopsis in one part of the brain increases while all others stay the same.

Answer 18

False: When a person is learning a single task, synopsis in one part of the brain increases while another part decreases

Question 19

T/F: Meta plasticity is how the experiences of a lifetime interact.

Answer 19

True

Question 20

Explain compensation vs Recovery:

Answer 20

Compensation: People learn to adapt to their impairment (typically unconsciously)

Recovering: a complete return of function, a marked improvement, or at least some
improvement

Question 21

T/F: Most recover from brain injuries

Answer 21

False: they learn to compensate

Question 22

Who was patient BK?

Answer 22

Stroke with left upper field defect that was devoid of pattern vision; he initially couldn’t read or recognize faces well → learned to redirect vision to compensate and better recognize people.

Question 23

What is therapy necessary for? (2 things)

Answer 23

Maintaining function of undamaged areas and movement the area represents

Promote compensation for affected body parts

Question 24

What do you need to do to rehabilitate function?

Answer 24

Experimental, behavioral, and psychological therapies

May include diet changes, brain stimulation, pharmacological therapies, etc

Question 25

What tools can be used for rehabilitation?

Answer 25

Tactile stimulation: massage/stimulation on affected limb Cognitive Rehabilitation: working with memory disturbances and spatial disorientation Robotic devices Treadmill training Music therapy etc….

Question 26

What can you do if your rehabilitation plan is not working?

Answer 26

Re-evaluate patient, re-assess strengths/weaknesses, try compensation methods instead

Question 27

Can you come up with an example discussed in class (as well as one of yours) regarding something to do when practicing/rehabbing a function that doesn’t work and what to do?

Question 28

What are some variables that can affect (improve/decrease) synaptic plasticity?

Answer 28

Age (older = harder) Time (more time passes = increased synaptic stability or change) Relevance/experience (learning behaviors = easier/fast vs more effort/hard) Intensity/Frequency (improvement in new task begins rapidly but then slows w/ familiarity)

Question 29

What variables can affect recovery?

Answer 29

Age Sex Lesion size Handedness (left-handers have less lateralized function than right-handers, providing an advantage for recruiting undamaged regions after brain injury)

Question 30

What experiments did we do this semester and how can you use them to assess function?

Answer 30

Simple RT, Choice RT, Go No/go ^^ used to assess reaction time and quantify speed of mental processing Wisconsin Sorting ^^ used to assess adaptations to changing problems

Question 31

Can you use the experiments to rehab/ reinstitute a function?

Answer 31

You can use 1. (reaction time) To practice reaction time and increase mental processing time 2. (card) To practice learning from and adapting to mistakes (feel free to think of more… im being vague)