lesson 3 plasticity rewiring of the brain 2013

Lesson 3: Plasticity of the brain

Thursday, 4 April 2013

From the last lesson.....

Identify and outline the role of three neurotransmitters involved in learning


From the last lesson.....

NT’s involved in learning:Glutamate: Strengthens connections at the synapse during learning

Dopamine: May be involved through rewarding ‘pleasure’ experience.

Acetylcholine: Present in some learning experiences but specific role unclear

Identify and outline the role of three neurotransmitters involved in learning


Plasticity: The ability of the brain to change structure and function through experience


Developmental Plasticity: changes in the brain’s neural structure in response to experience during its growth and development

Generally, an infant or a child’s brain will have more plasticity than an adult’s brain. This is referred to as developmental plasticity—the ability of these synapses to be modified

Developmental plasticity refers to changes in the brain’s neural structure in response to experience during its growth and development. This type of plasticity is predetermined and therefore influenced by the genes we inherit, but it is also subject to influence by experience.

Developmental Plasticity


Adaptive plasticity refers to changes occurring in the brain’s neural structure to enable adjustment to experience, to compensate for lost function and/or to maximise remaining functions in the event of brain damage.


The case of a 25-year-old adult female who was an accomplishedpianist supports the idea of plasticity.

Case Study

Furthermore, she also demonstrated exceptionally rapid finger movements in both hands, displaying speed and coordination beyond those of the average (non-stroke-affected) person. Today she has resumed her piano playing and hasfully recovered her abilities to the virtuoso levelsattained before the stroke (Azari & Seitz, 2009).

The patient had a stroke that damaged the left hemisphere of her brain. Consequently, she was unable to speak and had lost complete use of her right hand. It was a devastating loss at a young age, and her inability to play the piano only added to the tragedy.

She was placed in a rehabilitation program that involved repeated attempts to engage the right side of her body, including speech therapy and piano playing. After several months of rehabilitation, she regained nearly full use of her right hand, and she was again able to speak.


Implications of Brain Plasticity


Certain periods in an individual’s development are particularly well suited to learning certain skills and gaining knowledge. These periods are called sensitive or critical periods. A sensitive period is a specific period of time in development when an organism is more responsive (or ‘sensitive’) to certain environmental stimuli or experiences.

Sensitive or Critical Periods


Sensitive periods are sometimes described as ‘windows of opportunity for learning’ because they are the optimal, or ‘best possible’, times for the relevant learning to occur.

For example, certain skills and knowledge, such as those of language acquisition, are believed to be more easily acquired during a sensitive period in development. If these skills and knowledge are not acquired during the sensitive period, they may be acquired at a later time but it will usually take more time, be more difficult and the learning may not be as successful.

In relation to language learning, psychologists are not in complete agreement about the age limits for the sensitive period. Generally, the sensitive period for our native language is up to the age of about 12 years, with the window gradually closing from about age seven.

Language


Activities

Create a POSTER or PODCAST explaining: > The difference between developmental and adaptive plasticity

> Implication for Brain Plasticity

> Critical Periods

> What is the evidence in support of plasticity- You must include evidence outside of the text book.


lesson 3 plasticity rewiring of the brain 2013

Documents

support of plasticity

idea of plasticity

adaptive plasticity

type of plasticity

language learning

childs brain

adults brain

specic period of time