chapter 5

• neuroplasticity


  nervous systems ability to change its structure and function as a result of experience and in response to injury
• communication in the brain

  • In neuron: electrical message
  • Between neuron's: chemical message
  • Brain uses electrochemical energy
• neurogenesis (neuron generate)


  production of new neurons during early development of the nervous system and throughout the lifespan
• nervous system

  • nerves
  • nervous tissue
  • nervous system
• neural migration


  the movement of newly formed neuron's to their final destination in nervous system
• synaptogenesis


  process by which new synapses are formed between neuron's
• synaptic pruning


  process of removing extra, weak or unused synaptic connections to increase the efficiency of neural transmission
• myelination

  the process of protecting and insulating neurons by coating the axon in a white fatty substance called myelin
• myelin

  protects and insulates axon
• myelination

  increases the speed at which the electrical impulse travels within the neuron
• brain changes during normal aging

  • structural changes
  • cognitive changes
• structural changes

  • decrease in brain volume
  • deterioration in myelin
  • reduced synaptic connections
  • thinning of cerebral cortex
  • decline in adult neurogenesis
• cognitive changes

  • slower processing stimuli
  • decline in multitasking ability
  • decline in attention
  • slower recall of words and names
  • decline in newly information memory recall
• getting best our of your brain strategies

  • mental stimulation
  • healthy diet
  • physical activity
  • social support
  • risk reduction
• the impact of experience

  research indicates that a persons environment and experiences shapes their neural circuit development and impacts their brain development and plasticity throughout their life span
• adaptive plasticity

  • changes in the brain due to learning or relearning after brain injury
  • occurs over the life span
• adaptive plasticity impact on behaviour


  allows brain to adapt to changing environmental circumstances or to loss of function following brain injury
• adaptive plasticity processes

  • rerouting
  • sprouting
• rerouting


  involves an undamaged neuron that has lost connection with a damaged neuron connecting with another neuron
• rerouting

  • new neural connections are made between active neurons to create alternate pathways
  • occurs when there is damage to a neuron
• sprouting

  refers to the creation of new connections between neurons
• sprouting

  • new axon terminals and dendrites grow which allow neurons to form new connections
  • allows for more synaptic connections
  • occurs due to learning
• structural changes

  • result of rerouting and sprouting of synapses
  • between brain neurons to allow brain to adapt to environmental changes or injury
• acquired brain injury (ABI)

  is brain damage caused by events after birth that affects the functional ability of the brains nerve cell
• ABI affects

  • portion of brain cells are destroyed or deteriorating
  • resulting in forms of impairment or dysfunction
• traumatic brain injury (TBI)

  • external force damages brain cells and causes dysfunction
  • fall, assault, accidents
• non - traumatic brain injury (NTBI)

  • internal force damages brain cells and causes dysfunction
  • stroke, tumour, infection
• biological functioning


  refers to the way the body and its various components operate
• biological functioning

  • involuntary physical behaviour
  • voluntary physical behavious
• psychological functioning involves

  • cognitive abilities
  • perceptual abilities
  • emotional abilities
  • communication
  • understanding
• social functioning

  • refers to our interactions with our environment
  • ability to perform everyday social tasks appropriately
  • maintain social life
• spatial neglect due to parietal lobe injury

  • failing to notice anything either on their left or right side
• spatial neglect

  • attentional disorder
  • result of stroke or injury to right parietal lobe
  • injury to right parietal lobe affects left side
• aphasia


  acquired language impairment
• brocas aphasia

  • result of damage to brocas area
  • speech impairment
  • language disorder
  • comprehension not affected
• wernickes aphasia

  • result of damage to wernickes area
  • speech comprehension impairment