Brain Plasticity

• What is Brain Plasticity?

  • The brain is plastic because it has the ability to change throughout life; during infancy the brain experiences a rapid growth in the number of synaptic connections it has and this peaks at the age of 2-3 years old. As we age, rarely used connections are deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened- a process called synaptic pruning.
  • Plasticity is the idea that existing neural connections can change and new neural connections can form at: any time in life as a result of learning and experience.
• Functional Recovery of the Brain after Trauma

  Following physical injury, or other forms of trauma such as experience of a stroke, unaffected areas of the brain are often able to adapt and compensate for those areas that are damaged. The functional recovery that may occur in the brain after trauma is another example of neural plasticity. Healthy brain areas may take over the functions of those areas that are damaged, destroyed or even missing. The process can occur quickly after trauma (spontaneous recovery) and then slow down, requiring rehabilitative therapy to further 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.
• This process of functional recovery after trauma can only happen if supported by some physical, structural changes in the brain:

  • Axonal sprouting; the growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamaged nerve cells to form new neuronal pathways
  • Reformation of blood vessels
  • Recruitment of homologous areas; this means that similar areas on the opposite side of the brain would take over functioning.