what happens in the brain during recovery

• the brain is able to rewire and reorganise itself by forming new synaptic connections close to the area of damage
• secondary neural pathways that would not typically be used to carry out certain functions are activated or 'unmasked' to enable functioning to continue, often in the same ways as before (Doidge, 2007)
• this process is supported by a number of structural changes in the brain, which include:

  1. axonal sprouting
  2. reformation of blood vessels
• axonal sprouting is the growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamaged nerve cells to form new neural pathways