Brain plasticity and Functional recovery

• Plasticity - the brains tendency to change and adapt (functionally and physically) as a result of experience and new learning
• Plasticity

  • process of synaptic pruning
  • newer research - any point in life
• Synaptic pruning - where rarely used connections are deleted and frequently used connections become strengthened
• Synaptic pruning research:

  • this process can happen at any point in life, not just throughout the critical period as previously thought
• Plasticity research - Maguire

  • study comparing brains of London taxi divers with a matched control group and found more grey matter in the area associated with navigation skills
  • linked to a knowledge test they take when qualifying - more years on the job = more grey matter

  similar findings in studies with medical students and bilingual people
• Functional recovery - a form of plasticity, the brain's ability to redistribute/transfer functions (following damage through trauma)
• Functional recovery:

  • after brain trauma unaffected areas of the brain adapt and compensate for those damaged areas
  • this process can happen quickly (spontaneous recovery) and then slow down until patients might require rehabilitative therapy
• Brain during recovery:

  • brain is able to rewire itself by forming new synaptic connections close to the area of damage
  • secondary neural pathways are activated to allow functioning to continue almost as normal (Doidge)
• Structural changes include:

  • axonal sprouting - the growth of nerve endings to connect undamaged cells
  • reformation of blood vessels
  • reformation of homologous areas on the other side of the brain
• Practical application

  • understanding has contributed to the field of neurorehabilitation
  • helped to develop techniques used in therapies for rehabilitating the brain after spontaneous recovery has slowed down

  shows the scientific and social utility of the research/theory
• Age and plasticity research

  • study with golf training found neural changes in the brain of people 40-60 and less brain activity in the golfers compared to a control group (higher neural efficiency)

  adds to the idea of the Brian changing in childhood and proves plasticity does continue throughout life
• Support from animal studies

  • study where kittens had their eyes sewn shut and analyse of their brain's critical response found evidence for functional recovery

  BUT - can animal studies be generalised to humans?