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Plasticity of the Brain - Coggle Diagram
Plasticity of the Brain
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Researchers used to believe that changes to the brain took place only in infancy and childhood, but more recent research has demonstrated that the brain continues to create new neural pathways and alter existing ones to adapt to new experiences as a result of learning.
The brain also appears to show evidence of functional recovery, moving functions from a damaged area of the brain, after trauma, to an undamaged area.
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New vs Old
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New research
Brain continues to create new neural pathways and alter existing one to adapt to new experiences as a result of learning.
Life Experience
As people gain new experiences, nerve pathways that are used frequently develop stronger connections whereas those used rarely eventually die.
By developing new connections and pruning away old weaker ones the brain is able to adapt to the changing environment.
There is a natural decline in cognitive functioning with age which can be attributed to the changing brain.
Researches are therefore looking for ways in which new connections can be made in order to reverse this effect.
Boyke et al 2008
- 60 year old taught new skill.
- They found increases in grey matter in the visual cortex, when they stopped practising, these changes were reversed.
Axon Sprouting
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In some cases
Other axons that already connect with that neuron will sprout extra connections to the neuron, replacing the ones that have been destroyed.
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This occurs...
Mainly after two weeks after the damage has happened. It helps to replace function, but only if the damaged axon and the compensatory axons do a similar job. If not, problems can occur with function.
Playing Video Games
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Kuhn et al (2014)
Control v video game group (trained for 2 months, at least 30 mins per day on Super Mario)
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Conclusion
Video game training had resulted in new synaptic connections in brain areas involved in skills important in playing the game successfully
spatial navigation, strategic planning, working memory, motor performance
Meditation
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Davidson et al (2004)
8 practitioners of Tibetan meditation v 10 student volunteers with no previous meditation experience
Both groups fitted with electrical sensors, asked to meditate for short periods of time
Conclusion
Meditation not only changes the workings of the brain in the short-term (increasing efficiency with which information is processed), but may also produce permanent changes (because monks had far more gamma wave activity than the control group before they started meditating)