Placistity

• Supporting evidence+

  Maguire et al (2002)- found that hippocampal volume was significantly larger in the taxi drivers.
• Supporting evidence +

  Draganski et al (2006)- found differences in students hippocampus and parietal cortex after their final exams.
• Individual differences -

  Research suggests that functional plasticity tends to reduce with age. However, research has found that plasticity still occurs in people aged 40-60.
• Different factors -

  Research has also found that women tend to recover more effectively than men possibly because their function is not as lateralised.
• Negative/maladaptive plasticity-

  The brain’s ability to rewire itself can also have negative as well as positive consequences.

  E.g. Phantom limb syndrome due to reorganisation of the somatosensory cortex
• Practical applications +

  Understanding the processes involved in plasticity has contributed to the field of neurorehabilitation.