What is plasticity?
The brains tendency to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning
What is functional recovery?
Form of plasticity.
Following damage the brain redistributes functions usually performed by damaged areas to other areas.
What does the hypothalamus do?
Regulates body temp.
Sleep.
Endocrine system
What does the hippocampus do?
Spatial and navigational skills.
Learning.
Memory
What is the transfer of functions to undamaged areas called?
Neural reorganisation
What is neuronal unmasking?
Where dormant synapses open to compensate for damaged areas
What is synaptic pruning?
Extra neurons are eliminated to increase efficiency
What is axonal sprouting?
When undamaged axons grow new nerves to reconnect neurons after they get damaged
Maguire et al method
Matched pairs
16 right handed London taxi drivers vs 50 right handed nonntaxi drivers.
14 years experience
MRI
When was Maguires study?
2000
Findings of Maguire
Larger posterior hippocampus.
Positives correlation.
The longer you’re a taxi driver the bigger the PH.
When was Kemperman et al?
1997
What was Kemperman et al?
12 rats in complex cages vs 12 in normal as control.
What did Kemperman find?
New neurons in the complex rats.
Brains change due to new experiences
Kuhn et al 2014
Played super Mario
152 teenagers.
30 minutes a day for 2 months.
MRI
What did Kuhn find?
Increased prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum.
New synaptic connections.
Bezzola et al 2012
11 participants.
40-60.
Novices at golf.
Matched pairs control group.
FMRI after 40 hours.
Imagine their golf swing.
What did Bezzola find?
Reduced activity in motor cortex.
Pathways are refined.
Draganski et al 2006
MRI.
Medical students.
3 months before and after exam.
Learning causes changes in the hippocampus
Taijiri 2013
Stem cells given to rats with brain trauma.
Developed new neuronal connections.
Elbert et al
Capacity for neural reorganisation is greater in children than adults
