Plasticity and functional recovery

• Plasticity - The brains ability to change and adapt its new processes as a consequence of experience and new learning
• Synaptic pruning

  > Synaptic connections reach their peak at 2-3 years at around 15,000 connections

  > As you age connections that are not regularly used are deleted and the ones we do are strengthened
• Synaptic pruning research

  > Maguire et al

  > Brains of London taxi drivers studied

  > Greater volume of grey matter in the posterior hippocampus in experienced taxi drivers

  > Due to the greater knowledge of the roads which suggests the structure of brain is altered by their experiences
• Functional recovery

  > type of plasticity and refers to recovery of abilities and mental processes that have been affected as a result of brain damage

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

  > Secondary neural pathways that would not typically be used to carry out certain functions are activated to enable functioning to continue.
• Axonal sprouting

  > the growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamaged nerve cells to form new neuronal pathways
• Recruitment of homologous areas

  > areas from the opposite side of the brain take over the function of the damaged are of the brain eg. if the Broca's was damaged in the LH, the right sided equivalent would carry out its functions
• What affects recovery after trauma

  > Perseverance

  > Age

  > Gender

  > Education - Research - Schneider et al - more time an individual spent in education the more likely they will have a disability free recovery

  > Stress and alcohol
• Plasticity and Functional recovery AO3

  :) RTS case study EB

  DISCUSSION low population validity

  :) Practical applications