- The brain is ‘plastic’- synaptic connections are formed and pruned
- Synaptic pruning
- During infancy brain experiences rapid growth- 15,000 age 2-3 (Gopnik et al)
- As we age rarely used connections are deleted and frequently used ones are strengthened- synaptic pruning- happens at any time in life
- Maguire et al found significantly more volume of grey matter in the posterior hippocampus in London taxi drivers compared to a matched control group- this part of the brain is linked with the development of spatial and navigational skills- ‘the knowledge’ test
- The longer they had been in the job the more pronounce the structural difference
Functional recovery of the brain after trauma
- An example of neural plasticity
- Healthy brain areas take over functions of damaged areas
- Neuroscientist suggest this process occurs quickly after trauma (spontaneous recovery) and then slows down
- The brain is able to rewrite and reorganise itself by forming new synaptic connections by the damaged area
- Secondary neural pathways are activated or ‘unmasked ‘to enable functioning to continue
- Further structural changes include:
- Axonal sprouting- growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamaged cells to form a new neuronal pathway
- Reformation of blood vessels
- Recruitment of homologous areas on the opposite side of the brain
AO3
- One limitation of neural plasticity is it may be related to cognitive reserve
- Evidence suggests a person’s educational attainment may influence how well the brain functionally adapts after injury
- Schneider et al found more time brain injury patients had spent in education (indicator of cognitive reserve) the greater their chances of disability-free recovery
- This suggests that cognitive reserve is a crucial factor in determining how well the brain adapts after trauma
- Two-fifths of patients studied who achieved DFR had more than 16 years education compared to about 10% of patients who had less than 12 years
- Strength of brain plasticity is that is has research support
- Kahun et al found a significant increase in grey matter in various regions of the brain after participants played video games for 30 minutes a day over a two-month period. Similarly, Davidson et al. demonstrated the permanent change in the brain generated by prolonged meditation: Buddhist monks who meditated frequently had a much greater activation of gamma waves (which coordinate neural activity) than did students with no experience of meditation. These two studies highlight the idea of plasticity and the brain’s ability to adapt as a result of new experience, whether it’s video games or mediation
- A strength of research examining plasticity and functional recovery is the application of the findings to the field of neurorehabilitation.
- Understanding the processes of plasticity and functional recovery led to the development of neurorehabilitation which uses motor therapy and electrical stimulation of the brain to counter the negative effects and deficits in motor and cognitive functions following accidents, injuries and/or strokes. This demonstrates the positive application of research in this area to help improve the cognitive functions of people suffering from injuries.