Right hemisphere compensated for lost left hemisphere functions
Therefore, supports plasticity and how it changes with age
Research support for age and plasticity
Bezzola et al. - leisure golfers
40 hours of golf training led to changes in neural representation of movement
Decreased neural activity in motor cortex during mental rehearsal of a golf swing
Therefore, plasticity not limited to children
Research support for environment and placticity
Kemperman et al. - enriched environment could alter the number of neurons in the brain
Studied rats to investigate the effects of environmental enrichment on brain plasticity
Found that rats housed in complex environments developed more new neurons in the hippocampus than those in standard cages
Suggests that experience can enhance neurogenesis, demonstrating the brain’s capacity to adapt structurally in response to experience
Counterpoint to Kemperman
Low generalisability - phylogenetic differences
Humans have a more complex and foldedcerebral cortex compared to rodents, which may influence neurogenic processes
Additionally, certain human-specific characteristics of brain development are not fully replicated in rodent models, limiting the direct applicability of such findings to human neurogenesis
