Plasticity and Functional Recovery

• Plasticity - the brain's ability to change and adapt its structures and processes as a consequence of experience and new learning
• Plasticity - Synaptic Pruning:

  > during infancy, there is a rapid growth in the number of synaptic connections, peaking at around 15,000 at age 2-3

  > as we age, connections that are not used regularly are deleted, and ones used regularly are strengthened

  > research suggests at any time in life, existing neural connections can change or new neural connections can be formed as a result of learning and experience
• Research investigating Plasticity - Maguire:

  > studied the brains of London taxi drivers

  > greater volume of grey matter in the posterior hippocampus (responsible for spatial and navigational skills) in those who had been a taxi driver for a long time, in comparison to those for a short time

  > difference was due to greater knowledge of roads, suggesting that the structure of the brain has been altered by experience = plasticity
• Functional Recovery:

  > type of plasticity

  > refers to recovery of abilities and mental processes, such as movement or language, that have been affected as a result of brain damage or disease
• Functional Recovery:

  > brain is able to rewire itself by forming new synaptic connections close to the damaged area of the brain

  > secondary neural pathways, that would not typically be used to carry out certain function, are activated to enable functioning to continue, often in the same way as before

  > this creates structural changes - axonal sprouting or recruitment of homologous areas
• Functional Recovery - Axonal Sprouting:

  > the growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamaged nerve cells to form new neuronal pathways
• Functional Recovery - Recruitment of Homologous Areas:

  > areas from the opposite side of the brain take over the function of the damaged area

  > example: if Broca's area was damaged, the equivalent area in the right hemisphere would carry out its functions
• Factors affecting Recovery (AO2):

  > perseverance - effort put into recovering from trauma

  > age - younger people are more likely to recover from damage than those over 40, as there is deterioration of the brain in old age

  > gender - evidence is mixed, but some research suggests that females are more likely to recover than males

  > education - Schneider found that 40% of those that achieved a disability-free recovery had more than 16 years of education, compared to 10% of those with less than 12 years of education

  > stress and alcohol - make recovery more difficult
• Plasticity and Functional Recovery AO3:

  :) RTS - patient EB

  BUT low population validity

  :) Practical applications - neurorehabilitation

  good for the economy