FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY

• WHAT IS FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY?

  process of brain reassuming its normal functions after damage (unaffected areas sometimes compensate)
• WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED BRAIN DAMAGE?

  • physical injury from external force to brain
  • stroke
  • infection
  • tumour
  • brain haemorrhage
• PROCESSES INVOLVED IN FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY?

  1. Plasticity of the brain
  2. Brain transfers functions to undamaged areas
  3. Recovery assisted by neural regeneration
  4. Remaining dendrites connected to a neuron become more sensitive to neurotransmitters
• WHAT DOES PLASTICITY OF THE BRAIN HELP?

  to cope with indirect effects of brain damage
• EXAMPLE OF PLASTICITY OF BRAIN?

  blood vessels reform to help brain heal
• WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE BRAIN TRANSFERS FUNCTIONS TO UNDAMAGED AREAS?

  usually transfers to homologous areas with opposite hemisphere recruited
• EXAMPLE OF RECOVERY BEING ASSISTED BY NEURAL REGENERATION?

  axonal sprouting
• WHAT IS AXONAL SPROUTING?

  when undamaged axons sprout new endings to reconnect with neurons whose:

  -> links were injured

  -> or with other undamaged neurons

  to create new neural pathways
• WHEN DO DENDRITES CONNECTED TO A NEURON BECOME MORE SENSITIVE TO NEUROTRANSMITTERS?

  after dendrite reduction
• WHAT IS FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY AFFECTED BY?

  age, gender, therapy, education