Brain plasticity and functional recovery

What is Brain plasticity

• Brains tendency to change (functionally & physically) due to experiences and new learning.

• E.g. learning how to drive

• Research shows brain makes new neural pathways and alters existing ones in response to changing experiences

Research support of brain plasticity- Kuhn et al (video game) STRENGTH

• Participants played super Mario for 30 mins a day for 2 months - compared their brain development to control group who didn’t play video game.

• Found differences in grey matter of video game participants particularly in cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum.

• Shows how experience (playing video games) causes structural changes in brain

Research support into brain plasticity- Maguire (taxi driver)

• Taxi drivers complete “the knowledge” where they have to recall streets and routes- were good participants for spatial navigation study.

• Obtained MRI scans of 15 taxi drivers and 50 non taxi drivers for comparison.

• Found increased grey matter of taxi drivers in the posterior hippocampus

• Also found positive correlation in time spent as taxi driver and volume of posterior hippocampus

• Supports brain plasticity, the experience (taxi driver) can change structure of brain (enlarged hippocampus).

What is functional recovery

• transfer of functions from a damaged area of brain after trauma to an un damaged area.

Weakness of maguire- biologically reductionist

• reductionist as only examines 1 biological factor (hippocampus size) in relation to spatial memory.

• means it’s limited as doesn’t take into account all diff biological processes involved in spatial navigation- limits understanding.

• Psychologist say holistic approach needed to understanding complex human behaviour

Strength of plasticity and functional recovery- practical application to neurorehabilitation

• after brain injury, recovery slows down so physical therapy needed to maintain improvements in functioning

• Led to development of neuro rehabilitation- uses motor therapy & electrical stimulation to counter bad effects & deficits in motor functions after injury

• Shows positive application of research in this area to improve cognitive functions of people suffering injuries

How does the brain do functional recovery 

• through neural unmasking 

• where dormant synapses (haven’t revived enough input to be active) open connections to compensate for nearby damaged brain area.

• This allows new connection in brain to be activated- recovers any damage

Structural changes occurring to help brain recover

• Axonal sprouting

• Denervation super sensitivity 

• Recruitment of homologous

What is axonal sprouting 

• growth of new nerve endings that connect to undamaged nerve cells to form new neural pathways 

What is denervation super sensitivity 

• when axons become aroused to higher level to compensate for the ones lost 

What is recruitment of homologous 

• Opposite side of brain takes over the function of damaged area