Brain Plasticity

Brain Plasticity?

Brain changes in response to demands placed on it, number of synapses increased the more connections made. more connections =more info can be sent and received.

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Bottom-up processing?

Data-driven processing. Processing is carried out in one direction from retina to visual cortex.

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Top-down processing?

contextual information in pattern recognition. i.e- understanding difficult handwriting is easier in complete sentences= the meaning of surround words provide a context to aid understanding.

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List the 4 key idea about vision?

1. Visual Tracking. 2. Depth perception. 3. Monocular vision. 4. Binocular vision

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Visual Tracking?

Ability to follow path of moving objects. Smooth + accurate progression with the eyes + head.

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Depth perception?

Judge position of object to see how far away it is (helps with throwing + catching). partly due to Stereopsis= brain compares the view of the left + right eye to give us the info needed.

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Mononcular vision?

Mono=one. Ocular= of the eyes. - certain cells respond to information from only one of the two eyes.

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Binocular Vision?

Bi= Two. Ocular= of the eyes - Refers to both eyes, reading with both eyes open.

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List 3 features of how human's + cat's brains similar?

1. Both = cerebral cortices with similar lobes. 2. Both= surface folding + both= grey + white matter. 3. Kitten's brain=neuroplasticity as do humans

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What did Hubel + Weisel (1962) find?

Total visual deprivation in kittens (in complete darkness) caused neurones in kittens brains that should be associated with deprived eyes to decline in numbers.

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What did Hirsch and Spinelli (1970) find?

Early visual experiences can change neuronal organisation in kittens. Neurones relating to each eye became exclusive to either vertical or horizontal lines, depending on the stimulus that eye recieved (used googles on kittens to test this).

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List 1 difference between Hirsch + Spinelli study and Blackmore + Copper's study?

Blackmore + Copper did NOT use googles.

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Aim?

Investigate development of primary visual cortex (vision area of brain) in cats to find out if some properties i.e - orientation selectivity are innate (Hirsch + Spinelli) suggested or learnt?

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Research method?

Lab experiment + Independent measures (kittens placed in one of two conditions: Vertical Stripes+ Horizontal stripes)

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I.V + D.V?

I.V= Kittens in horizontal/vertical enviroment + Dv.= Kitten's Visuomotor behaviour (how they moved in relation to what they saw) when placed in illuminated enviroment

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Sample?

number of kittens used not reported. Kittens tested from birth. Randomly allocated conditions. All housed in complete darkness till 2weeks old. 2 kittens used to study neurophysical effects.

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Results? (list 4)

1) Guided mainly by touch (instead of sight) 2) frightened when reached the edge of a table they stood on. 3) no startle response when object thrust towards them. 4) 'behavioural blindness' raised in horizontal condition couldn't detect vertically.

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List 2 permanent defects?

1) followed objects with clumsy, jerky head movements(impaired visual tracking) 2). Often tried to touch things beyond their reach (distorted depth perception)

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List 3 Neurophysical responses.

1) No evidence of Severe astigmatism=wasn't eye problem causing behaviour responses. 2) 75% cells in both kittens= binocular= responses same in normal kittens. 3) No obvious regions 'silent' cortex corresponding to'missing'cortical columns were found

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List 1 Neurophysical response

1) Horizontal plane recognition cells not 'fire' in kittens in vertical environment, vice versa = distinct orientation selectivity 'physical blindness'

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List 3 conclusions from the study?

1) visual experiences in early kittens=modify brains+have profound perceptual consequence. 2) Shows Plasticity= functional demands rather than genetic factors. 3) environment have impact= on behavioural + physiological level(in cats)

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Hippocampus?

Brain structure involved with Memory, Spatial awareness + Navigation.

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Memory -linked in Hippocampus?

Hippocampus linked to conversion of info from short-term to permanent. Damage= hold memories held (retained before damage of hipo) , new memories not retained

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Navigation- linked in Hippocampus?

Place cells- fire at certain locations: these cells act as a cognitive Map, neural representation of the lay out of the environment.

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Eriksson (1998)

Human hippocampus- ability to generate new cells throughout life = neurogenesis.

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Brain Plasticity

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