Covers all of the relevant information for the Biopsychology module for AQA psychology A level.
A01 points in black, positive A03 points in green, negative A03 points in red, real world application in orange.
Outline and evaluate plasticity and functional recovery of the brain (6+10 marks or 2x8 marks).
Key terms for plasticity Maguire et al Brain scan study Bilingual vs Unilingual
• Plasticity - the brain’s ability to • They looked at the brain of • The brains of medical students • That bilingual group had a
change and adapt as we grow black cabbies. They have to were examined using brain larger parietal cortex
and learn know all the routes in London scans, 3 months before and
• Synaptic pruning – when rarely (navigational skills) so they had after their exams
used connections are gotten more grey matter (in posterior • They found significant changes
rid of, and frequently used hippocampus) than the control in the amount of grey matter in
connections are strengthened. • More experienced drivers had the posterior hippocampus and
This happens as we age (you even more grey matter than parietal cortex
have more connections when the less experienced ones
you’re younger).
Functional recovery Structural changes Neurorehabilitation Maladaptive plasticity
• Is the brain’s ability to adapt • Axonal sprouting – new nerve • Electrical stimulation and • There can be negative
functionally and physically endings connect with physical therapy are used to consequences of plasticity
after trauma/stroke as another undamaged nerve cells to form counteract the deficits in • Amputees who experience
part of the brain will new neuronal pathways motor and cognitive phantom limb syndrome think
compensate for damaged • Reformation of blood vessels functioning following trauma feel pain in a limb that they
areas. Type of plasticity. • Recruitment of homologous don’t have because of plasticity
areas – in the other side of the in the somatosensory cortex.
brain to form specific tasks Mirror therapy can be used to
trick the brain into thinking
that the missing limb is present
Educational attainment
• Schneider et al found that
people with brain damage that
had a higher cognitive reserve
(spent more time in education)
were more likely to have a full
recovery
, Outline and evaluate Localisation of function of the brain (6+10)
Key terms Areas of the brain Other areas of the brain Auditory area
• Localisation –parts of the brain • Broca’s area – produces speech. • Motor area – in the frontal lobe. • It analyses speech based
are associated with a particular In the left frontal lobe and Damage here causes a loss of information. It’s in the temporal
function damage to this area cause motor skills. Controls movement lobe. Damage to this area could
• Holistic theory – the whole brain Broca’s aphasia in opposite side of body . cause hearing loss.
is responsible for thought and • Wernicke’s area – interprets • Visual area – in the occipital
action speech. In the auditory area. lobe. Damage here causes vision
• Lateralisation – one hemisphere Damage to it causes fluent loss. Works for opposite sides of
of the brain is dominant for a aphasia. brain (left eye sent info sent to
particular function • Somatosensory area – in the right hemisphere)
parietal lobe. Responsible for
things like pressure. Directly
proportionate.
Brain scan Neurosurgical evidence Lashley Lashley implications
• MRIs have very good spatial • Lobotomy – removal of brain • He did experiments with mice in • The effects of brain damage are
resolution and provide evidence tissue a maze and learnt that learning down to the extent of the
for localisation of function. E.g. • Leucotomy – cutting connections was holistic damage rather than the
Tulving to a part of the brain • Found that localisation was only location. Plasticity shows that
• Neurosurgery used today for for simple motor functions and localisation can be overcome,
extreme cases of OCD/depression not applicable with higher supporting this
• Success of these suggests functioning
behaviours associated with mental
disorders are localised
Phineas Gage
• His personality and mood
changed from the damage to his
frontal lobe, showing how
functions are localised
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