Neuroplasticity Quiz

Neuroplasticity is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. It was once thought to manifest only during childhood, but research in the latter half of the 20th century showed that many aspects of the brain can be altered even through adulthood. Activity-dependent plasticity can have significant implications for healthy development, learning, memory, and recovery from brain damage. The term plasticity was first applied to behavior in 1890 by William James. The first person to use the term neural plasticity appears to have been the Polish neuroscientist Jerzy Konorski. Structural plasticity is often understood as the brain's ability to change its neuronal connections, whereas functional plasticity refers to the brain's ability to alter and adapt the functional properties of neurons. Neuroplasticity is gaining popularity as a theory that, at least in part, explains improvements in functional outcomes with physical therapy post-stroke. Rehabilitation techniques that are supported by evidence which suggest cortical reorganization as the mechanism of change include constraint-induced movement therapy, functional electrical stimulation, treadmill training with body-weight support, and virtual reality therapy. Robot-assisted therapy is an emerging technique, which is also hypothesized to work by way of neuroplasticity.Neuroplasticity: A Summary of Key Findings

• Increased levels of progesterone injections can reduce edema, inflammation, and neuronal cell death after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke, but a multi-center NIH-funded phase III clinical trial of 882 patients found that treatment of acute TBI with progesterone provides no significant benefit to patients when compared with placebo.

• Successful improvements in persons with amblyopia, convergence insufficiency, or other stereo vision anomalies have become prime examples of neuroplasticity; binocular vision improvements and stereopsis recovery are now active areas of scientific and clinical research.

• Phantom limb sensation occurs in 60-80% of amputees due to cortical remapping, which only occurs in patients who have phantom pain. Phantom limb pain is the perceptual correlate of cortical reorganization.

• Chronic pain has been reported to significantly reduce the volume of grey matter in the brain globally, and more specifically at the prefrontal cortex and right thalamus. However, following treatment, these abnormalities in cortical reorganization and grey matter volume are resolved, as well as their symptoms.

• Meditation practice is linked to differences in cortical thickness or density of gray matter. Meditation may lead to change in the physical structure of brain regions associated with attention, anxiety, depression, fear, anger, and compassion as well as the ability of the body to heal itself.

• Artistic engagement in a therapeutic environment can create changes in neural network connections as well as increase cognitive flexibility. Brains repeatedly exposed to artistic training over long periods develop adaptations to make such activity both easier and more likely to spontaneously occur.

• Aerobic exercise increases the production of neurotrophic factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor 1, and vascular endothelial growth factor. Consistent aerobic exercise over a period of several months induces marked clinically significant improvements in executive function and increased gray matter volume in multiple brain regions, particularly those that give rise to cognitive control.

• Due to hearing loss, the auditory cortex and other association areas of the brain in deaf and/or hard of hearing people undergo compensatory plasticity. The auditory cortex is usually reserved for processing auditory information in hearing people now is redirected to serve other functions, especially for vision and somatosensation.

• Due to vision loss, the visual cortex in blind people may undergo cross-modal plasticity, and therefore other senses may have enhanced abilities. Or the opposite could occur, with the lack of visual input weakening the development of other sensory systems.

• Human echolocation is a learned ability for humans to sense their environment from echoes. Studies have shown that parts of the brain associated with visual processing are adapted for the new skill of echolocation.

• Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have smaller volumes of brain regions compared to people without ADHD, but long-term treatment with stimulants decreases abnormalities in brain structure and function found in subjects with ADHD, and improves function in several parts of the brain.

• Neuroplasticity is most active in childhood as a part of normal human development, and can also be seen as an especially important mechanism for children in terms of risk and resiliency. Trauma alters the brain's connections such that children who have experienced trauma may be hyper vigilant or overly aroused. However, a child's brain can cope with these adverse effects through the actions of neuroplasticity.

• Seasonal brain variation occurs within many classes and species of animals,Neuroplasticity: The Brain's Ability to Reorganize Itself

• Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to reorganize itself and form new neural connections throughout life.

• Neuroplasticity is influenced by various factors, including age, experience, injury, and disease.

• The concept of neuroplasticity has led to new treatments for various conditions, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, and depression.

• Studies have shown that multilingualism can enhance cognitive function and neuroplasticity by increasing grey and white matter density in specific brain regions.

• Research has also shown that environmental factors, such as social experience, can affect the structural and functional reorganization of the brain.

• The "Monoamine Imbalance" hypothesis of depression has been challenged by the discovery of fast-acting antidepressants that achieve therapeutic effects through neuroplasticity.

• Neuroplasticity is influenced by various neurotransmitters, including dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine.

• Exercise, meditation, and cognitive training are among the methods that can enhance neuroplasticity.

• Neuroplasticity can be both beneficial and detrimental, depending on the circumstances.

• Neuroplasticity is greatest during early development, but it continues throughout life.

• Neuroplasticity can be studied through various methods, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and electroencephalography (EEG).

• The study of neuroplasticity has led to a better understanding of brain function and the development of new treatments for various conditions.