Neuroplasticity/Neural Network/Brain Plasticity by Nazneen Abbasi (Faculty Pathways Aravali) https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2 Made with serendipity en-us 2021-09-23 04:13:25 UTC 2026-01-14 22:06:30 UTC hello@padlet.com Neuroplasticity https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761963092 Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change throughout the course of life. This change occurs through the making and breaking of synaptic connections between neurons. The reasons for such changes are both genetic (normal pre-programmed development of the brain) and environmental (for example, injury, brain damage or simply learning new skills).

Case Study: Maguire et al (2000)]]> 2021-09-23 04:39:33 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761963092 https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761966649 Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt over a period of time through the making and breaking of synaptic connections on an individual level or cortical remapping on a larger scale, establishing new neural pathways in the brain. This phenomenon can occur in one of three ways - a chemical change, structural change, or functional change in the brain as a result of genetics or new experiences/injuries
Case study - Maguire et al (London Taxi Driver)]]> 2021-09-23 04:41:20 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761966649 NeuroPlasticity aryanvohra https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761971169 NeuroPlasticity also known as neural plasticity is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. These changes range from individual neuron pathways making new connections to systematic adjustments like cortical remapping.
Maguire et al
(London Taxi Driver)]]> 2021-09-23 04:43:43 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761971169 Neuroplasticity https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761972174 Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change and adapt by forming new connections as a result of experience, learning, or an injury. When we learn something, neurons connect to form new circuits. This is called dendritic branching because the dendrites of the neuron grow and connect with other neurons. Numerous studies have shown that stimulating environments impact the neural connections and synapses which can be seen in the study of Maguire et al in 2002. ]]> 2021-09-23 04:44:19 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761972174 Neuroplasticity https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761973683 Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain to adapt to change. It refers to changes in neural pathways and synapses that are due to changes in behaviour, neural processes or resulting for environmental causes (injury, learning a new skill, brain damage etc) These changes result in the breaking of synaptic connections between neurons.

Case study - Rosenzweig and Bennet (1972) 
Maguire et al.

]]> 2021-09-23 04:45:08 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761973683 avinashvaibhav https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761975497 Neural networking is the brains ability to make positive and negative changes to the neural pathways and connections by either rearranging, pruning off old connections, or establishing new neural  pathways for the brain to learn and adapt over time. This phenomenon can occur either chemically over a short period of time, physically through neural changes or new pathways over a longer period of time, as well as through constant functioning of a part of the brain. An example of neural networking is shown in the Maguire et al (2000) study aka as the london taxi driver study.


]]> 2021-09-23 04:46:05 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761975497 Neuroplasticity https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761976330 Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to positively or negatively change through the making and braking of synaptic connections between neurons; causing factors are both genetic and environmental. The change of neural networks through repetition and neural pruning that is both genetic and subject to environmental influences (injury or learning a new skill). These changes can be observed from individual neuron pathways developing new synaptic connections, to systematic adaptation. This phenomenon can be based on either a chemical change, structural change or functional change. 

Case study: Maguire et el (London taxi driver- 2000)
]]> 2021-09-23 04:46:34 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1761976330 https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762013437 - Although Maguire's study supported the theory of  neuroplasticity, it was a correlational study which meant that direct cause and effect inferences could not be drawn. The study suggested a strong relationship between the two but it cannot be concluded with certainty that driving the cab and the exam caused the drivers to have a larger hippocampus and more grey matter. There could be many other factors that caused them to have a larger hippocampus (other experiences, genetic variables, new learnings). The non controlled nature of the experiment makes it impossible to attribute the cab driving as the only cause of the plasticity

]]> 2021-09-23 05:07:54 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762013437 https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762019647 Maguire's study supported neuroplasticity, however, a cause-and-effect relationship cannot be established in the case study as it was a quasi-experiment, and the independent variable (the brain of taxi drivers) was not manipulated but was naturally occurring. The results are correlational but it cannot be concluded with certainty that driving a taxi causes a change in the hippocampus. ]]> 2021-09-23 05:11:31 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762019647 aryanvohra https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762022044 Right posterior hippocampal volume positively correlated with the amount of time spent as a taxi driver and therefore suggests that changes in hippocampal volume are acquired.​
As such, the finding indicates the possibility of local plasticity in the structure of the healthy adult human brain, as a function of increased exposure to an environmental stimulus. The results suggest that a mental map of London is stored in the posterior hippocampus and is accommodated by an increase in tissue volume.​
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]]> 2021-09-23 05:12:52 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762022044 https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762024410
  • London taxi driver focused on long term brain plasticity 
  • participants had to have ‘exponential training’ and have experience of driving for at least 1.5 years 
  • Found positive correlation between the hippocampus volume (right posterior hippocampus) and the amount of time spent as a taxi driver 

    • However the video explained 

    • Neuroplasticity varies from individual to individual
    • Variability: our brain's ability to become neuroplastic varies between individuals and may occur is SHORT periods of time 
    • Individual variability was not discussed in London taxi driver
    • Each individual may will different skills relatively easier/harder 
    • Your brain is constantly being shaped by the world around you: genetics, experiences etc 


    ]]>     2021-09-23 05:14:16 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762024410     https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762027503 Maguire et al. was a quasi experiment hence, a cause and effect relationship could not be deduced. But, It can be culminated that a fully developed human brain is prone to change to the environmental causes. The results of the experiment showed that excessive use of navigational skills can lead to an increase of grey matter in the posterior hippocampus region compared to the non taxi drivers’ MRI. This means that the brain adjusts to accommodate demand. 

    ]]>     2021-09-23 05:16:07 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762027503     https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762027840 - There was a low number of participants (due to the expensive and time consuming nature of MRI testing) which may affect the generalisability of the study 
    - Extremely low participant variability which further lowers the generalisability of the study; the findings cannot be applied to other professions, genders, ages, nationalities]]>     2021-09-23 05:16:19 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762027840     avinashvaibhav https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762029552 This study is reliable as it is validated by the fact that when the data was put through a correlational check the ammount of time spent as a taxi driver was strongly correlated to the size of the tissue which grew. The study is also replicable and none of the ethical boundaries were breached. However, the number of trained taxi drivers were not proportionate to the number of non taxi drivers as there were only 16 taxi drivers rather than there being 50. The study was only conducted only for right handed males and not for left handed people or females in general. The probable reason for larger tissues can is the constant spacial function in the hippocampus region but it may also be genetic in nature.]]> 2021-09-23 05:17:19 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762029552 https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762037584 Strengths- The experiment shows how spatial memory could be linked to our hippocampus and the role of localisation 

    MRI scans were also used. They do not cause harm to the patient and are accurate

    The experiment could be replicated 

    Weaknesses- The experiment was not very generalisable as only right - handed males were used.

    It is only a correlational study so a cause and effect relationship cannot be deduced/ evaluated



    ]]>     2021-09-23 05:22:00 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762037584     https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762043957 What the video concluded or outlined: 
    • Neuroplasticity can have both positive and negative changes 
    • Learning a new skill can vary for one individual in can be very easy to learn a new skill compared to another
    • Individual variability (not identified in London Taxi driver)
    • Neuroplasticity cannot be generalised, it depends from person to person
    • Potential causing factors of neuroplasticity revolves around experiences and genetics. 
    ]]>     2021-09-23 05:25:55 UTC https://padlet.com/nazneenabbasi/36d1vinyn1e4vcv2/wish/1762043957