Neuroplasticity (DP IB Psychology)

The aim of Maguire's (2000) study is to investigate neuroplasticity in London black cab taxi drivers as a result of experience in spatial navigation.

In the Maguire (2000) study, neuroplasticity is measured through using an MRI to scan the participants brains. The MRI measured the volume of grey matter in the hippocampus. Grey matter was measured using voxel-based morphemetry (VBM) which focuses on the density of grey matter and pixel counting.

In Maguire's (2000) study, a positive correlation is found between the volume of grey matter in the posterior hippocampus and time spent as a taxi driver.

The findings of the Maguire (2000) study supports neuroplasticity as it suggests that spatial navigation skills learnt from the environment are linked to changes in the brain, particularly the posterior hippocampus.

It is a strength of Maguire's (2000) study that it used a highly controlled clinical method of obtaining objective data because this could then be easily compared and analysed.

It is a limitation of Maguire's (2000) study that a correlation cannot show cause-and-effect because it is impossible to know if the increase in hippocampal grey matter is due to being a taxi driver, or if they naturally had high levels anyway.

The aim of Luby et al. (2013)'s study in relation to neuroplasticity is to investigate whether poverty experienced in childhood is shown in delayed brain development and the extent to which mediating factors may influence early deprivation.

In the Luby et al. (2013) study, neuroplasticity is measured by each child having two MRI scans in which the whole brain is scanned, or just the hippocampus and the amygdala.

False.

Luby et al. (2013) found that poverty does appear to have a negative effect on brain development in childhood, which is evidence for neuroplasticity.

It is a strength of Luby et al.'s (2013) study that the researchers were able to check the behavioural, cognitive, and social measures against the MRI results because it increases the internal validity of the study.

It is a limitation in Luby et al.'s (2013) study that attempting to measure complex variables (e.g. nature of caregiving, social skills) is difficult, because these variables are not exact and may be prone to researchers interpreting them in subjective ways.

Neural networks are a group (a network) of neurons that are interlinked and connected which combine to produce a specific neurological function or process e.g. learning a new language; spatial navigation.

Neural pruning refers to the process carried out by the brain in order to increase its efficiency. Synapses and neurons that are no longer used or needed are eliminated by the brain. Neural pruning is a key function of neuroplasticity as it is involved in the pruning of neural networks and neurons.

False.

Neural branching and neural pruning are not the same process.

(Neural pruning occurs when the brain gets rid of neurons and connections no longer required, whereas neural branching occurs when new synaptic connections are made.)

Maguire's (2000) research study on spatial navigation provides evidence of neuroplasticity and neural networks.

Draganski et al.'s (2004) research study involving juggling demonstrates evidence of neuroplasticity and neural pruning.

Gotgay et al.'s (2004) research study found that neural pruning occurs frequently and rapidly in children from birth.

False.

The participants in the Maguire (2000) study are 16 male black cab taxi drivers in London.

The aim of the Maguire (2000) study is investigate how neural networks form as a result of spatial navigation in London black cab taxi drivers.

The procedure of the Maguire (2000) study:

• The taxi driver's brains are scanned using an MRI to measure the volume of grey matter in the hippocampus

• The scans are compared to pre-existing scans of 50 healthy, right-handed males (the control group)

False.

The anterior hippocampus of the taxi drivers showed a greater volume of grey matter than that of the controls, who had increased grey matter in their posterior hippocampus.

The conclusion of the Maguire (2000) study is that spatial navigational skills learnt through experience are linked to a specific neural network formed in the posterior hippocampus.

False.

The aim of Draganski et al.'s (2004) study is to investigate whether neural networks in the brain occur in response to learning and then stopping juggling.

The participants in Draganski et al.'s (2004) study are:

• a self-selected sample of 24 adults

• aged 20-24 years old (21 female; 3 male)

• no prior experience of juggling

The procedure of the Draganski et al. (2004)'s study:

• 2 conditions: jugglers or non-jugglers

• after an initial MRI scan, jugglers practice a routine and have a second MRI scan

• jugglers are told not to practice, then have an MRI scan 3 months after

• non-jugglers have 3 separate MRI scans

The findings of the Draganski et al. (2004) study:

• MRI scans of the juggling participants showed significantly more grey matter in their mid-temporal cortex in both hemispheres

• Three months after the jugglers stopped practising, the amount of grey matter decreased

• The non-jugglers’ brains showed no brain changes from the first to the final scan

The Draganski et al. (2004) study provide research support for neural pruning as it suggests that neural networks form (increase in grey matter) due to environmental demands (learning to juggle), and shrinks due in the absence of learning (stopping juggling).