Plasticity and Functional Recovery of the Brain

• What is brain plasticity?

  The brain's ability to change and adapt
• How does functional recovery occur in the brain?

  Processes move to undamaged areas of the brain
• What is neuronal unmasking?

  Opening dormant synapses to form new connections
• Who conducted research on brain plasticity in taxi drivers?

  Maguire
• What did Maguire find in his study of taxi drivers?

  Increased grey matter in the hippocampus
• How does the duration of a taxi driver's job relate to brain structure?

  Longer job duration correlates with more grey matter
• What are the stages of functional recovery in the brain?

  • Axonal sprouting: Growth of new nerve endings
  • Denervation supersensitivity: Compensation by undamaged axons
  • Recruitment for similar areas: Other hemisphere takes over tasks
• What is axonal sprouting?

  Growth of new nerve endings
• What happens during denervation supersensitivity?

  Undamaged axons compensate for damaged ones
• What does recruitment for similar areas involve?

  Other hemisphere takes over damaged tasks
• What are the negative effects of plasticity?

  • Prolonged drug use leads to poorer cognition
  • Amputation can cause phantom pains
• What does prolonged drug use suggest about brain plasticity?

  It may lead to poorer cognitive function
• What is a potential consequence of amputation related to brain plasticity?

  Phantom pains in the missing limbs
• How does understanding functional recovery benefit medical professionals?

  It helps in offering effective treatments
• What does cognitive reserve refer to in recovery from brain damage?

  More educated people recover better
• What implication does cognitive reserve have on recovery from brain damage?

  Education influences the effectiveness of recovery