ch 5

• Brain plasticity


  The capacity of the brain to change in response to experience and brain trauma
• The brain

  • Its capacity to change in response to experience and brain trauma
  • Factors influencing neuroplasticity
  • Ways to maintain and/or maximise brain functioning
• Acquired brain injury (ABI)


  Impact on a person's biological, psychological, and social functioning
• Contemporary research


  Contribution to the understanding of neurological disorders
• Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)


  An example of emerging research into progressive and fatal brain disease
• Neurons are the building blocks of our nervous system
• Neuron


  A nerve cell that receives and transmits neural information
• Neuronal communication is vital in brain processing
• Components of a neuron

  • Dendrites
  • Myelin
  • Axon terminals
• Synapse


  The region that includes the axon terminals of the presynaptic neuron, the synaptic gap, and the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron
• Neuroplasticity


  The ability of the brain to change in response to experience or environmental stimulation
• Types of neuroplasticity


  • Developmental plasticity
  • Adaptive plasticity
• Developmental plasticity


  Changes in the brain that occur in response to ageing and maturation
• Synaptogenesis


  The formation of synapses between neurons as axon terminals and dendrites grow
• Synaptic pruning


  The elimination of underused synapses
• Myelination


  The formation and development of myelin around the axon of a neuron
• Infancy and adolescence are periods of significant neuronal change due to developmental plasticity
• In infancy

  The number of neuronal connections greatly increases through synaptogenesis
• From late childhood and into adolescence

  Neuronal connections are refined and reduced in number through synaptic pruning
• Brain trauma


  Damage to the brain that is caused by an external force
• Brain trauma can result in the death of neurons, destruction of neuronal connections, overstimulation of neurons, and damage to neurons responsible for specific tasks
• Adaptive plasticity


  The brain's ability to restore adequate neural functioning over time after sustaining injury
• Adaptive plasticity is affected by the factors of sprouting and rerouting
• If a player is injured


  The output of goals will likely be affected
• If a defensive player is injured


  The team is likely to concede more goals
• The impact of injury to a player will have a specific effect depending on their role/position and also on the team's performance more broadly
• Injuring a specific region in the brain


  Will have a distinct effect depending on the role of that brain region
• Injuring the primary motor cortex

  Will impact voluntary movement specifically
• Many of our functions are interrelated and dependent on each other
• Factors influencing adaptive plasticity


  • Sprouting
  • Rerouting
• Sprouting


  A neuron's ability to develop new branches on the dendrites or axons
• Rerouting


  A neuron's ability to form a new connection with another undamaged neuron
• Adaptive plasticity is often incorporated into the rehabilitation techniques of patients who suffered a brain trauma
• Physiotherapists work with patients who have recently suffered from a brain trauma to help them regain control over impacted regions of the body
• The brain demonstrates adaptive plasticity by neurons forming new effective connections (rerouting) and repairing their physical condition by developing new branches (sprouting)
• Mental stimulation


  An activity that activates neuronal connections and involves the processing of information
• Mental stimulation


  • Doing a crossword puzzle
  • Learning to play an instrument
  • Meditating
• How mental stimulation helps maintain/maximise brain functioning


  • Stimulates new neural connections and builds up a resistance to future cell loss
  • Strengthens and prevents synaptic pruning of needed neuronal connections
• Diet


  Eating a balanced diet according to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
• How diet helps maintain/maximise brain functioning


  • Leafy greens are rich in 'brain-healthy' nutrients
  • Fatty fish are abundant sources of omega-3 fatty acids which have been linked to lower blood levels of beta-amyloid