Maguire (2000)

Aim

To investigate if extensive use of the area of the brain responsible for spatial awareness causes structural changes in the brain

Procedure

the 16 taxi drivers chose had extensive experience and had to know London by heart (increased spatial memory), MRI were done of brain volume and analyzed by one experienced individual who wasn’t sure if taxi or not

Results

Posterior hippocampi of taxi drivers were larger in taxi and anterior hippocampus region is larger in control, no difference between the groups in overall volume of hippocampus, continuously using the brain responsible for spatial awareness, the brain of taxi redistributed grey matter to develop skull, the brain changes structure in response to environmental demands

Neuroplasticity

plasticity of hippocampus in response to environmental demands, posterior is spatial representation and increased in taxi drivers because of navigation skills and spatial memory