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Plasticity and functional recovery - Coggle Diagram
Plasticity and functional recovery
Brain plasticity
Refers to the brains ability to change and adapt as a result of experience or new learning
Synaptic pruning: rarely used connection are deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened
Originally thought that changes in the brain were limited to the developing brain within childhood and that the adult brain having moved beyond the critical period would remain fixed and static in terms of function and structure
However more recent research suggests that at any time in life existing neural connections can change or new neural connections can be formed
What activities might increase brain plasticity?
Video games
Research by Kuhn compared a control group to a group that played video games for 30 minuets a day for two months
They found those who played super Mario for two months had significantly increased grey matter in their hippocampus, cerebellum and the cortex
A03 of brain plasticity
:smiley::
Research to support by Maguire who assessed hippocampal volume in London taxi drivers who have sat a knowledge test compared with a matched control group, it was found there was a significantly more volume of grey matter in the hippocampus which is associated with the development of spatial and navigational skills this suggests that brain structure adapts with experience and therefore provides and insight into plasticity and functional recovery
:cry::
However there are individual differences in ability of the brain to change and adapt, research by Elbert found that neural reorganisation in children is much greater in children then it is in adults, this is because in childhood the brain is thought to be constantly adapting to new experiences and learning although older people might still be able to form new connections, research has also found that women tend to recover more efficiently than men and their function is not lateralised
Functional recovery
After trauma e.g. a physical injury, stroke etc. unaffected areas of the brain are often able to adapt and compensate for damaged areas
Neuronal unmasking: the brain is able to rewire itself through the growth of new neurons and/or connections between neurons to compensate for damages areas
Axon sprouting: growth of new nerve endings to form new pathways
Functional compensation: The brain can also reorganise itself, this is when there is a transfer of functions to undamaged areas
A03 of functional recovery
:smiley::
-Evidence to support e.g JW who had callosotomy, whereby the corpus callosum cut in half so that the two hemispheres cant communicate this was to help his epilepsy and was studies over 15 years to show the effect of this surgery, Gazzaniga found that after 15 years JW was able to speak from his right hemisphere due to the speech and language centres being on the left hand side, this showed that the brain was able to recover after injury and talk from the right hand side
:cry::
However evidence to suggest FR isn't as simple as the brain repairing its self, functional recovery will happen quicker when there is a higher education level researcher said as this is thought to be due to there being a cognitive reserve in neural adaption suggesting that there are different factors involved in functional recovery and the ability to recover will depend on both the location of the damage and the individual
A03 overall
O: Doesn't fully demonstrate the full picture of what factors affect the brains ability to adapt, e.g age and gender also have an effect on how well the brain can change and adapt, research shown the older you are the less likely your brain is able to fully adapt to an injury or new environments and females have been shown to adapt and recover quicker demonstrating brain plasticity is more complex than first thought
PA: Contributed to the field of neurorehabilitation, often recovery slows after a period of time and people will require interventions for full recovery this allows for the brain to cope better with indirect effects of brain damage resulting from inadequate blood supply following a stroke this shows that BP and FR have important implications in the real world