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?

  Traumatic events 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?

  Weak connections are removed in the brain
• At what stage of life do you have the most synaptic connections?

  As an infant
• What is axonal sprouting?

  Formation of new axons to compensate for damage
• What is innervation supersensitivity?

  Increased sensitivity of remaining axons
• How does age affect functional recovery after brain damage?

  Younger individuals recover better than older ones
• What is the effect of gender on recovery from brain trauma?

  Women recover more easily than men
• What is constraint-induced therapy?

  Focusing on lost functions without compensating
• What are the steps involved in functional recovery after brain damage?

  • Healthy areas compensate for lost functions
  • New neuronal pathways are formed
  • Synaptic pruning occurs
  • Axonal sprouting may take place
• What was the focus of McGuire's 2000 study?

  London taxi drivers' brain structure
• What did McGuire's study find about taxi drivers' brains?

  Increased volume of grey matter in the hippocampus
• What does EB's case study illustrate about brain recovery?

  Extreme trauma can be compensated by reorganization
• What surgical procedure did EB undergo?

  Hemispherectomy
• What was the outcome of EB's surgery?

  He almost fully recovered his language ability
• What did fMRI scans reveal about EB's brain as a teenager?

  His right hemisphere functioned like a typical left hemisphere
• What are the implications of understanding brain recovery for physiotherapists?

  • Helps clients regain lost functions
  • Promotes independence
  • May improve economic outcomes
• What factors contribute to individual differences in recovery from brain injury?

  Cognitive reserve, IQ, and education
• What did the meta-analysis by Matthias in 2015 find?

  IQ and education correlate with recovery outcomes
• Who is Phineas P. Gage?

  A man who survived a severe brain injury
• What happened to Phineas P. Gage during his accident?

  A tamping iron pierced his skull
• What does Phineas P. Gage's case demonstrate about the brain?

  The brain's resilience to damage
• What are the long-term effects observed in Phineas P. Gage after his accident?

  • Physical recovery with some facial paralysis
  • Mental recovery with slight memory loss
  • Development of a temper
• How long did Phineas P. Gage live after his accident?

  12 years
• What questions does Phineas P. Gage's experience raise?

  About understanding brain resilience to damage