Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma
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- Created on: 31-05-22 15:36
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- Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma
- Brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of experience. This could be the result of learning new information
- Repairing itself after damage (functional recovery)
- Following physical injury, or other forms of trauma such as a stroke, unaffected areas of the brain are often able to adapt and compensate for damaged areas.
- Neural
regeneration organisation
- The brain is able to rewire itself through the growth of new neurons and/or connections between neurons to compensate for damaged areas.
- Functional
compensation
- The brain can also reorganise itself. This is when there is a transfer of functions to undamaged areas.
- Axonal
sprouting
- Growth of new nerve endings to form new pathways
- Denervation
super sensitivity
- Axons performing similar functions to damaged ones will become more sensitive to compensate.
- Reformation
of blood vessels
- Blood vessels will be recreated.
- STRENGTH
- P - There is evidence to support brain plasticity.
- E - Maguire et al. (2000) assessed hippocampal
volume in London Taxi drivers compared with a
matched control group.
- E -There
was a significantly more volume of grey matter in the hippocampus which is
associated with the development of spatial and navigational skills.
- L - This suggests that brain structure adapts with experience and therefore provides an insight into plasticity and functional recovery.
- E -There
was a significantly more volume of grey matter in the hippocampus which is
associated with the development of spatial and navigational skills.
- E - Maguire et al. (2000) assessed hippocampal
volume in London Taxi drivers compared with a
matched control group.
- P - Brain
plasticity is less deterministic than original brain organisation/function
theories
- E - It
suggests that individuals can have an element of control over their brain
recovery by engaging with therapy.
- E - Previous
theories (loacalisation) were more deterministic because they
implied that once the damage had been done, no function would return.
- L - This suggests that plasticity is an example of soft determinism. Behaviour is determined by our brains, but we can manipulate them by engaging in particular environments.
- E - Previous
theories (loacalisation) were more deterministic because they
implied that once the damage had been done, no function would return.
- E - It
suggests that individuals can have an element of control over their brain
recovery by engaging with therapy.
- P - There is evidence to support brain plasticity.
- WEAKNESS
- P - Not all instances of plasticity are positive.
- E - The
brain’s ability to rewire itself can also have negative as well as positive
consequences.
- E - For
example, prolonged drug use results in poor cognitive function and a greater
risk of dementia in individuals.
- L - This means that the brain’s ability to rewire itself can sometimes have maladaptive behavioural consequences.
- E - For
example, prolonged drug use results in poor cognitive function and a greater
risk of dementia in individuals.
- E - The
brain’s ability to rewire itself can also have negative as well as positive
consequences.
- P - not all individuals show the same degree of plasticity/functional recovery as
there are individual differences.
- E - Functional
plasticity reduces with age and therefore neural reorganisation is much greater
in children than in adults.
- E - This
is because, in childhood, the brain is thought to be constantly adapting to new
experiences and learning. Research
has also found that women tend to
recover more effectively than men as their function is not as
lateralised.
- L - This suggests there are different factors involved in determining the plasticity of the brain and the ability to recover will depend on both the location of the damage and the individual.
- E - This
is because, in childhood, the brain is thought to be constantly adapting to new
experiences and learning. Research
has also found that women tend to
recover more effectively than men as their function is not as
lateralised.
- E - Functional
plasticity reduces with age and therefore neural reorganisation is much greater
in children than in adults.
- P - Not all instances of plasticity are positive.
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