Brain plasticity and functional recovery

What is meant by brain plasticity?

The brain's ability to change and adapt structurally and functionally throughout life, such as by forming new neural connections.

What is synaptic pruning, and when does synaptic connection peak?

It's the process where frequently-used neural connections are strengthened and unused ones are deleted. Synaptic connections peak at about 15,000 per neuron at age 2–

Who studied the brains of London taxi drivers, and what did they find?

Maguire et al. (2000) found that taxi drivers had more grey matter in the posterior hippocampus, which correlated with their time on the job, due to spatial learning from "The Knowledge" test

What is one potential negative consequence of brain plasticity?

Phantom limb syndrome—where amputees feel sensations in missing limbs—can occur due to cortical reorganization in the somatosensory cortex.

What did Ladina Bezzola et al. (2012) demonstrate about plasticity and age?

They showed that 40 hours of golf training changed motor cortex activity in adults aged 40–60, proving plasticity continues throughout life.

What is functional recovery after brain trauma?

The brain's ability to transfer functions from damaged areas to healthy ones, through processes like axonal sprouting and recruitment of similar areas in the opposite hemisphere

What are axonal sprouting and denervation supersensitivity?

Axonal sprouting is the growth of new nerve endings to form new pathways. Denervation supersensitivity is when remaining axons become more sensitive to compensate for lost ones, sometimes causing pain.

How does cognitive reserve, as indicated by education level, affect recovery from brain injury?

Schneider et al. (2014) found that people with more years of education (greater cognitive reserve) were more likely to have a disability-free recovery after brain injury.

What is a real-world therapy developed from understanding functional recovery?

Constraint-induced movement therapy, where stroke patients repeatedly use an affected limb while the unaffected one is restrained, promoting recovery through plasticity.