brain plasticity and functional recovery

• What is the term used to describe the brain's ability to adapt?

  Plasticity
• How does the brain adapt to changes in the environment?

  By making changes to its function and structure
• What can cause neuronal cell death in the brain?

  Stroke and brain swelling
• What is functional reorganization in the brain?

  Healthy areas compensate for lost functions
• What happens to neuronal pathways with repeated use?

  They become stronger
• What is synaptic pruning?

  Removal of unused neuronal connections
• At what stage of life do you have the most synaptic connections?

  As an infant
• What is axonal sprouting?

  Formation of new axons from neuronal cell bodies
• What is innervation supersensitivity?

  Increased sensitivity of remaining axons
• What factors influence functional recovery after brain damage?

  Age, gender, and rehabilitation access
• Who is more likely to recover from brain damage?

  Children
• What is constraint-induced therapy?

  Focusing on lost functions without compensating
• What did McGuire's 2000 study on London taxi drivers demonstrate?

  • Increased volume of grey matter in posterior hippocampus
  • Suggests brain plasticity due to memorization demands
  • Structural changes in the brain from intense mental work
• What was the outcome of EB's hemispherectomy at age 2?

  • Lost all language ability initially
  • Almost fully recovered speech in two years
  • Right hemisphere functioned like a typical left hemisphere
• How can understanding brain recovery help physiotherapists?

  It aids in regaining lost function and independence
• What does cognitive reserve refer to?

  Individual differences in recovery ability
• What did the meta-analysis by Matthias in 2015 find?

  • Positive correlation between IQ and recovery outcomes
  • Educational background also positively correlated
  • Highlights importance of cognitive factors in recovery
• What does Phineas Gage's case illustrate about the brain?

  • Resilience of the brain to severe damage
  • Recovery of physical and some mental functions
  • Raises questions about brain function and damage
• What was Phineas Gage's accident?

  A tamping iron pierced his skull
• What were the long-term effects of Gage's injury?

  Facial paralysis and slight memory loss
• How long did Phineas Gage live after his accident?

  12 years
• What does the case of Phineas Gage suggest about brain resilience?

  The brain can recover from significant damage