Draganski et al (2004)

What topics?

Neuroplasticity (SAQ/ERQ)

Techniques used to study the brain (ERQ)

Aim

To investigate whether a new skill- in this case, juggling- would have an effect of the brains of participants.

Method

True field experiment

Design

Independent meausres

Sampling strategy

Self-Selected w/ Purposive- 24 participants between ages 20-24 (21 females and 3 males)

IV

Jugglers/ non jugglers condition

DV

Mass of Grey Matter in the Mid Temporal Lobal

Procedure

1) All participants were non-jugglers at the start of the study

2) Each participant had an MRI scan at the start of the study to serve as a base rate for grey matter and brain structure

3) Participants were allocated to one of two conditions- the jugglers and non-jugglers.

4) Those that were in the juggling condition were taught a three-ball cascade juggling routine. They were asked to practice this routine and notify the researchers when they had mastered it.

5) At that point the jugglers had a second MRI scan

6) After the scan, they were told not to juggle anymore and then a third and final scan was carried out three months later

7) The non-juggling group served as a control group for the duration of the study

8) To analyse the MRI scans, the researches used VBM to determine if there was significant differences in neural density in the brains of jugglers v non-jugglers

findings

From the baseline scans- they found no significant regional difference in grey matter between the two conditions

However, at the end of the first part of the study, the jugglers showed a significantly larger amount of grey matter in the mid-temporal area in both areas- an area associated with visual memory.

Three months after the participants stopped juggling- the amount of grey matter in these parts of the brain had decreased

There was no change over the duration of the study in the non-juggling sample.

It appears juggling relies more on visual memory- that is, the perception and spatial anticipation of moving objects- than on procedural memory which would more likely show change in the cerebellum or basal ganglia

Conclusion

Demonstrates neuroplasticity as when the jugglers learnt something their neural density increased and when they had unlearned the routine their neural density had decreased

Methodological strengths

The study used a pre-test, post-test design to show difference in neural density over time

The study was experimental, thus helping to argue for a cause and effect relationship

There was a control group

Methodological limitations

The sample size was very small- so it is possible that by using averages of growth, the data may not be reliable

Lack of equivalency- 21 women and 3 men- lacks generalizability

The study has potential problems with internal validity as the participants were in their home environments for a good part of the study

The study would need to be replicated to establish credibility