Brain Plasticity

What surgery is available to people suffering from Parkinson's disease?

Deep brain stimulation has been shown to improve motor symptoms and reduce the need for levodopa. It is a surgical procedure where a surgeon implants electrodes within the brain, connected to a pulse generator implanted under the skin of the chest and stimulates the brain area with tiny amounts of electrical current.

How does adaptive plasticity serve in everyday life(not in the event of brain injury)?

A right handed violin player's somatosensory cortex will have more cortical space devoted to their left hand, as it requires more precision and movement, than their right hand which is used to manipulate the bow. The cortical space devoted to the hands of violinists will be larger than the amount of cortical space devoted to a non musician's handscq

explain adapative plasticity

Adaptive plasticity refers to the brain's ability to compensate for lost function and/or to maximise remaining functions in the event of brain injury. This is faster and more substantial in early years as our brain is more plastic. This enables the brain to compensate for lost function by reorganising neural connections. Infants recovers more quickly from brain injury than adults as their brains are more plastic.

Explain rerouting

An undamaged neuron which has lost a connection may seek to connect with a new active neuron. This process is called rerouting.

how does the brain develop?

Bottom to top, back to front.

Explain how we can recover lost function after injury to the brain.

If brain injury is sustained and an individual cannot remember how to walk or talk or read or speak, they may have to relearn the skill. To do this successfully they need to reactivate neurons that have lost their connections through rerouting and sprouting. With practice and therapy, neurons can eventually connect with other active neurons and enable the individual to relearn how to do certain tasks.

explain synaptic pruning(elimination)

In the first 15 months of life, a surplus of synapses are formed. So much so that weak or unused connections are eliminated in a process called synaptic pruning to allow for more efficient brain activity. This tends to occur first in sensory areas and last in association areas. It is complete in the visual cortex by about age 10. Synaptic pruning in a process that will continue to eliminate weak or unused neural connection over the lifespan but there is a significant burst of synaptic pruning during early adolescence. Which connections will be kept and which will be 'pruned,' is based entirely on experience. 'Use it or lose it' is the rule being followed.

What medication is available to people with Parkinson's?

Levodopa is a chemical that is converted to dopamine by neurons and can alleviate some symptoms in the early stages of Parkinson's disease.

Describe Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease. This means the the neurons in the substantia niagra(mid brain) gradually become damaged or deteriorate and lose their function. This area of the brain helps regulate smooth movements and is required for balance and walking. These neurons lost produce dopamine. Less neurons means there's less dopamine in the brain than there should be.

Explain sprouting

Sprouting is the growth of additional branches on dendrites to enable new neural connectons.

explain synaptogenesis(growth)

Synaptogenesis accounts for most of the brain's growth in size. This process involves the growth of new synapses between the brain's neurons. It occurs more quickly in motor and sensory areas than association areas. It occurs rapidly within the first 15 months after birth.

explain frontal lobe development

The frontal lobes are the last areas of the brain to fully mature. The prefrontal cortex, an association area just behind the forehead, is the very last to mature. The brain follows the rule of developing from bottom to top and back to front. Adolescents are often labelled as being risk takers, rebellious, highly emotionally reactive and poor decision makers. This is likely because in many adolescents, their prefrontal cortex has not fully matured and they are therefore not able to reason, exercise judgment, plan, regulate emotions and make decisions the same way an adult would.

Explain myelination

The growth and development of myelin, a fatty white substance, around many axons is called myelination and contributes to brain size. This starts before birth during fetal development and continues during childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. The most intense period of myelination occurs shortly after birth. There is also a burst of myelination in adolescence.

Explain recovered function.(cortical space)

Through adaptive plasticity, functions that were once assigned to certain areas of the brain can sometimes be reassigned to other undamaged areas to compensate. E.g. If your middle finger got severed, the cortical space devoted to it in the somatosensory cortex may begin to receive input from adjacent fingers after some time rather than a complete degeneration of middle finger neurons.

What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease?

Tremors, muscle rigidity, slowness of movement, postural instability, speech problems, trouble swallowing, cognitive functioning problem.