Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity Definition

The brains ability to adapt by forming new connections as a result of experience, learning or following an injury

Example

Cerebral cortex that processes the signal from the inner ear to get dizzy of ballet dancers shrinks

Procedure

• brain is made up of billions of neurons connected to thousands of other neurons through dendrites

• Dendrites carry signals from one neuron to the next

• When you learn something new, neurons form new connections and a new pathway is established

• Dendritic branching: when dendrites of one neuron branch out to establish connections with other neurons

Neural network

Every thought, memory, emotion, behavior is linked to a neural pathway/more engagement = stronger pathway and higher likelihood of activation (habits)

Rosenzweig and Bennet

A: neuroplasticity in rats

P: rats randomly placed in two environments/enriched environment placed in cage with other rats, toys, games, maze/deprived environment placed alone in cage with no rats of toys/30 or 60 days in environment/killed to examine changes in brain structure

F: rats in enriched environment had a heavier frontal lobe and thicker cortex/indicates more connections between neurons, decision making, executive function, self control

C: being in a more stimulating environment causes new connections to form, changing brain structure/supports neuroplasticity

Evaluate Rosenzweig & Bennet

• laboratory experiment = high control, cause and effect

• Applicable to humans?

• Ethical issues of killing animals; protection from harm

Maguire

A: whether neuroplasticity occurs in London cab drivers, memorize 25000 street names, landmarks, restaurants, hotels to earn cab license

P: 16 healthy right handed London cab drivers/brain scanned using MRI/compared to MRI scans of 50 non cab driving right handed males of the same average age/various lengths of time from 1.5 to 42 years

F: posterior of hippocampus was larger in taxi drivers/anterior of hippocampus was larger in control group/positive correlation between years of experience driving a taxi and the size of the posterior hippocampus

C: hippocampus is associated with memory/posterior is related to spatial memory and navigation/experienced cab drivers develop mental map/increase in posterior hippocampus

Evaluate Maguire

• correlations results, cab driving is not necessarily the reason for changes

• Correlation between years of taxi driving experience and size of hippocampus

• Role of posterior and anterior are speculative