6.5.2 Functional Recovery After Trauma

• Functional recovery is the brain's ability to reorganise its neural pathways and redistribute functions to undamaged areas following injury or trauma
• What is functional recovery?

  Brain reorganises after trauma
• After a stroke, speech therapy can help a person regain their ability to speak through functional recovery.
• The mechanisms involved in functional recovery include neuronal unmasking, axonal sprouting, and neurogenesis
• What does neuronal unmasking involve?

  Activating dormant pathways
• Axonal sprouting refers to the regrowth of damaged axons or the growth of new connections from existing neurons.
• What is the role of neurogenesis in functional recovery?

  Replacing damaged neurons
• Match the mechanism with its description:

  Neuronal Unmasking ↔️ Activation of dormant pathways

  Axonal Sprouting ↔️ Growth of new connections

  Neurogenesis ↔️ Formation of new neurons
• Stages of neurogenesis in functional recovery

  1️⃣ Proliferation

  2️⃣ Differentiation

  3️⃣ Migration

  4️⃣ Survival
• Neurogenesis primarily occurs in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone lining the lateral ventricles
• Functional recovery allows individuals to regain lost abilities such as motor skills or language through rehabilitation.
• What is neuronal unmasking in functional recovery?

  Activating dormant pathways
• Axonal sprouting involves the growth of new connections from existing neurons
• Neurogenesis replaces damaged neurons to promote functional recovery.
• The mechanisms involved in functional recovery include neuronal unmasking, axonal sprouting, and neurogenesis
• Neuronal unmasking involves the activation of dormant neuronal pathways after injury.
• Neurogenesis replaces damaged neurons to promote functional recovery.
• Stages of neurogenesis in functional recovery

  1️⃣ Proliferation

  2️⃣ Differentiation

  3️⃣ Migration

  4️⃣ Survival
• After a stroke, neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus can help improve motor function
• What is denervation supersensitivity?

  Increased sensitivity to neurotransmitters
• Denervation supersensitivity occurs because of a loss of neurotransmitter supply.
• What is axonal sprouting?

  Growth of new axon branches
• Axonal sprouting involves the growth of new axon branches from intact neurons
• Axonal sprouting can help reconnect the motor cortex with the spinal cord after a stroke.
• What did Hubel and Wiesel's study demonstrate?

  Early visual cortex plasticity
• Stroke patients can regain motor skills through rehabilitation due to brain plasticity.
• The critical period limitation suggests that the brain's ability to recover diminishes after a specific time
• What is the primary evidence for functional recovery after trauma?

  Brain plasticity