1. BRAIN PLASTICITY + BRAIN DAMAGE
The brain
BRAIN PLASTICITY + BRAIN DAMAGE

2. BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN INFANCY AND ADOLESCENCE

3. Brain reaches full adult size by the mid 20s, but some areas are still developing
Birth – brain has all the neurons it will ever have but is ¼ in size.
6 months – ½ size
6 years – 90% size

4. Development of myelin
Myelination: growth and development of white, fatty myelin around many axons.
Allows neurons to be more efficient.
Starts before birth and is at it’s most intense right after birth and again during adolescence
Axons become denser and there are more axon terminals.

5. myelination Typically occurs in the hindbrain first then spreads.
Sensory areas are myelinated before motor areas, after birth complex function areas are myelinated.

6. Synaptogenesis
The formation of new synapses between the brain’s neurons.
Synapse – where neighboring neurons connect and communicate.

7. Synaptogenesis
After birth: neurons develop new dendrites and spines (bushy)
Occurs more quickly in sensory than motor areas - allows the brain to respond to the stream of new environmental input.
In the first 15 months the number of synapses x 10
More are produced than what is needed

9. SYNAPTIC PRUNING – USE IT OR LOSE IT
Weak or unused connections are ‘pruned’.
The brain is fine tuning its neural connections.
Occurs first in sensory areas and last in association areas.
Early adolescence – half of the synaptic connections are eliminated.
Use it or lose it

10. FRONTAL LOBE DEVELOPMENT
Continues into mid 20s.
Prefrontal cortex is last.
3-6 years: significant increase in the number of neural connections (synaptogenesis) – children become more sophisticated in cognitive abilities

11. FRONTAL LOBE DEVELOPMENT
7-15 years: rapid synaptic growth shifts to temporal and parietal lobes (linked to language development)
16-20 years: more synaptic pruning in frontal lobe

12. FRONTAL LOBE DEVELOPMENT
Prefrontal lobe is last to develop
Linked to ‘higher level’ functions – reason, plan ahead, organise, solve problems, make decisions etc.

13. FRONTAL LOBE DEVELOPMENT
In adolescents: the limbic system is very active (motivational and emotional centre)
Occasional impulsive, unpredictable, unstable or immature behaviour of adolescents is probably linked to this (high limbic and low prefrontal)

14. Also have problems empathizing with others.
May be more embarrassed and self conscious during adolescence.
Kid – Arielle – we do something silly in public and she will laugh or we dance to music in public and it’s fun – older kid would get embarrassed and tell us to stop.

16. Injury to the cerebral cortex + adaptive plasticity

17. Brain injury
Any brain damage that impairs or interferes with normal functioning of the brain, either temporarily or permanently.

18. Brain injury
Generally occur after birth through an accident, shaking of the head, stroke, alcohol, drugs, infection, disease etc.
Sudden onset (e.g. infection, strike to the head, drugs) or insidious onset (e.g. alcohol, drugs, disease)
Neurodegenerative disease: progressive decline in the structure, activity and function of brain tissue. E.g. Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.

19. Brain injury ~700,000 Australians have a brain injury. ¾ are under 65.
¾ are men.
Stroke is the most comment cause (burst or clogging of a brain vessel) followed by a traumatic brain injury (e.g. King hit).

20. Sporting concussion injuries lA

21. Impact of injury to the cerebral cortex

22. Crash Course– Meet Your Master 2:45 min
Frontal lobe injury
Phineas Gage
Crash Course– Meet Your Master 2:45 min

23. Problems with motor activities Facial expressions tend to become blank
BIOLOGICAL CHANGES
Physical in nature
Problems with motor activities
Facial expressions tend to become blank
Head/eye movements minimal
Some early reflexes like grasping may reappear
Apathy: not caring
Responsiveness: lack of concern for the past and present

24. PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES
EMOTIONAL
Apathy, responsiveness,
PERSONALITY
Bouts of euphoria, impulsive behaviour, disregard for social conventions, aggressiveness, boastfulness, silliness.
COGNITIVE
Reduced responsiveness to pain
Only slight change in IQ
Forgetfulness
Goal-directed behaviour Daily activities may be disorganised
Apathy: not caring
Responsiveness: lack of concern for the past and present

25. SOCIAL CHANGES
Other changes can lead to a breakdown in relationships and loss of support
Increased risk of unemployment
Lack of affordable housing
Homelessness
Social isolation
Overrepresented in the criminal justice system

26. SPATIAL NEGLECT DUE TO TEMPORAL LOBE INJURY
Spatial neglect: a neurological disorder whereby individuals are unable to notice anything either on their left or right side.

27. SPATIAL NEGLECT DUE TO TEMPORAL LOBE INJURY
Shaving face, eating food, coffee left and dish and won’t see it, only reading half of compound words like birthday, patient calling for help thinking there was an alien leg in the bed. Depends on severity (may just be visual, may not ignore their body)
Damage to the right side has more problems (conscious awareness of objects and self)

28. CLOCK DRAWING
DOG VIDEOS

30. Brain plasticity

31. plasticity
The ability of the brain to change in response to experience.

32. plasticity Occurs at the synapse.
New neural pathways can link up with existing pathways.
Involve neurons and glial cells.
Plasticity is lifelong.

33. plasticity
DEVELOPMENTAL
ADAPTIVE

34. Adaptive plasticity
The ability of the brain to compensate for lost function and/or to maximize remaining functions in the event of brain injury.

35. Adaptive plasticity
May improve without intervention – physiological stabilisation Quicker and greater recovery if younger

36. REROUTING
Undamaged neurons that have lost a connection with an active neuron may seek a new active neuron and connect with it instead
SPROUTING
Growth of additional branches on axons or dendrites to enable new connections.

37. SPROUTING & REROUTING
Enable the formation of entirely new neural connections to compensate for loss of function.
Can occur at ALL levels of the CNS.
Neurons need to be stimulated through activity to connect though Patients may need to relearn tasks.

39. Recovered functions
E.g. Through stimulation of one finger, part of the somatosensory cortex that was dedicated to another finger may take over.
Experiments with monkeys have shown this.

40. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =u2c-WHVxcfY
Jodie – plasticity
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41. ADAPTIVE PLASTICITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Taxi drivers – larger rear part of the hippocampus of taxi drivers (involved in spatial navigation and memory formation)

42. PARKINSON’S DISEASE

43. Parkinson’s disease
A progressive neurological disorder which is characterised by both motor and non-motor symptoms.
Progressive degeneration of neurons in the midbrain.
Less dopamine is produced as a result.
Idiopathic – has no known cause.

44. symptoms Tremor - involuntary shaking Muscle rigidity - stiff muscles
Slowness of movement
Postural instability
- balance problems

45. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol_pXf- FYJw
Michael J. Fox
FYJw

46. Diagnosis & TREATMENT Diagnosed between 55 and 65 1 in 350 Australians
Treatment can improve quality of life:
- medication can restore dopamine
Brain stimulation may also be used in some cases.

47. Deep brain stimulation at Monash Uni
MhRY&feature=youtu.be

48. 5 Daily Exercises To Boost Your Brain-Power!
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