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Brain Damage and Neuroplasticity
Brain Damage and Neuroplasticity
NEUROPLASTICITY
Ronald John Recio, M. A., EMDRPrac
Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
Puso mo.
FOREWORD……
I hope that the midterms were good for you and that you have sufficiently
understood the basics of anatomy and physiology in relation to psychology.
As promised, during the finals period, we will be focusing more on explaining
daily experiences using the interconnection of psychology and physiology.
Expect this period to be an application of what we have learned previously
and integrating them with your own experiences. Fun Fun Fun!
DEFINITION OF TERMS
• Neoplasms = Abnormal and rapid tissue growth (Tumors)
• Around 20% of tumors in the human brain are meningiomas (tumors that grow in
between meninges). All meningiomas are incapsulated tumors (tumors that grow
within their own membrane). Mostly, they are benign. Because of their location,
they can influence the brain by pressure.
• Gliomas = Tumors originating from glial cells. Infiltrating, rapidly growing, and are
quite common.
• Most brain tumors are infiltrating. These grow diffusely through surrounding tissue
and as a result, are usually malignant. This means that they are difficult to destroy
and any remnants continue to grow.
CAUSES OF BRAIN DAMAGE: TUMORS
• Metastatic Tumors: transmission of disease from one organ to another. It is
estimated that about 10% of brain tumors do not originate from the brain.
• Aneurysms are balloon like dilations that forms in the wall of an artery at a point
where the elasticity of the arterial wall is defective. This is caused by the weakening
of the arterial wall. High Blood Pressure, atherosclerosis (thickening of the arterial
wall caused by plaque build-up), trauma, heredity, and abnormal blood flow.
Mycotic Aneurysms can happen as a result of infection to the arterial wall.
*** Placques = fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in blood. All the
good stuff ***
ISCHEMIC STROKE
• Disruption in the blood supply to an area of the brain.
Two ways how excessive NA+ and CA2+ damage = 1. Trigger release of excessive
amounts of glutamate thus becoming toxic and influencing other neurons; and
2. They trigger internal reactions that kill neurons.
Three properties of Ischemic Brain Damage: Takes a while (around 10mins before
obvious), does not occur equally in all parts of the brain (Hippocampus is susceptible,
and they vary structure to structure within the brain.
CAUSES OF BRAIN DAMAGE:
CLOSED-HEAD INJURIES
• Contusions – damage to the cerebral circulatory system which produces internal
hemorrhaging (Hematoma = parang like pasa)
• Frequently, contusions occur at the opposite side of where the head was hit
(Countercoup injury)
*** Concussions although are generally scarier when experienced, keribelles lung ***
• Bacterial Infections – They often lead to cerebral abscess = pockets of pus in the brain
• Meningitis = Inflammation of the Meninges. Usually has a mortality rate of 25% in adults
• Viral Infections – Two types (again) = Those with a particular affinity with neural tissue
and those that attack neural tissue but have no greater affinity for it than for other
tissue.
• Mumps and herpes viruses are examples that can attack the nervous system but
usually attack other parts of the body
CAUSES OF BRAIN DAMAGE: NEUROTOXINS
• Toxic psychosis – chronic psychosis as a result of repeated inhalation of lead
and mercury
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Huntington’s Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Alzheimer’s Disease
EPILEPSY
• Epilepsy – Only those who have repeated seizures are diagnosed with this as people
could have seizures and never be repeated (exposure to neurotoxins)
• Convulsions (Motor seizures) – Clonus (tremmors) and Tonus (rigidity) and loss of
balance and consciousness
*** However, some seizures involve subtle changes in behavior, thought, or mood that
are not easily distinguishable from normal day activity“***
EPILEPSY
• Causes: viruses, neurotoxins, tumors and blows to the head as well as 70
identified genetic mutations
• Grand mal seizure – loss of consciousness, loss of equilibrium, and violent tonic-clonic
convulsion, tongue biting, urinary incontinence, cyanosis, are common manifestations.
*** Hypoxia can cause brain damage ***
• Petit Mal Seizure – Petit mal absence. Most common in children and they frequently
cease in puberty. Associated with day dreamers.
PARKINSON’S DISEASE
• Movement disorder that affects 1 to 2% or the elderly population. It is also 2.5 times
more prevalent in males than females
• Tremors become more pronounced during inactivity but not during activity and
sleep, muscular rigidity (stupor), difficulty initiating movement, slowness of movement,
and a masklike face. Pain and depression often develop before motor symptoms
become severe
• Increased fidgetiness is the first sign. Rapid, complex, jerky movements begin to
predominate as the disease progresses. Eventually, motor and intellectual
deterioration becomes more evident in that sufferers become unable to feed
themselves, control their bowels, or recognizing their own children. There is no cure
and life expectancy is 15 years since onset of initial symptoms.
• Cause is the dominant gene called huntingtin. Since it is dominant, all carriers will get
the disorder.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
• Progressive disease that attacks the myelin of axons in the CNS. It typically attacks
young adults. First, microscopic areas of degeneration on myelin sheaths are
observed; next, damage to the myelin becomes so severe that associated axons
become dysfunctional and degenerate. Scarring is developed in the CNS as result.
• Neurofibrillary tanglea and beta-amyloid placques have been seen consistent with
post mortem analysis of neural tissue. The prevalant parts of damage are seen in
the entorhinal cortex, amygdala, and the hippocampus.
• In the PNS, regrowth from the proximal nerve stump usually begins in 2 to 3 days after
axonal damage (growth cones appear).
• What happens next depends on the nature of the injury: 1. If myelin is intact, growth
happens within it at a speed of a few millimeters a day; 2. If peripheral nerve is severed
and the cut end is a few mm, Regenerating axon tips often grow into incorrect sheaths
and thus are guided into incorrect destinations; Lastly, 3. If the stumps are too far,
regeneration becomes meaningless as they just form a tangle of kwan.
NEURAL REGENERATION
• CNS neurons are not capable to regenerate. Actually, PWIDI PIRO DIPINDI. Some
can regenerate as a result of transplantation. Sa PNS namern, we’re not exactly
sure but something about the environment promotes regeneration
• Schwann Cells clear cellular debris and scar tissue resulting from neural
degeneration and promote regeneration in the PNS by producing neurotrophic
factors (biomolecules, mostly peptides and small proteins that support growth,
survival, and differentiates development and maturity of neurons) and cell-
adhesion molecules (CAMs).
*** Neurotriphic Factors = growth cones and new axons; CAMs = Pathway ***
NEURAL REGENERATION
• Oligodendroglia – Do not clear debris or stimulate cellular regeneration in the CNS.
Actually, kwan to ih, kuntrabida kasi kwan ba; they actively block regeneration.
• Astrocytes form glial scars after injury that forms as a barrier to axonal regrowth and
actively releases chemicals that inhibit axonal regrowth. Ganun talaga ih.
• Collateral sprouting – When an axon degenerates, axon branches grow out from
adjacent healthy axons and synapse at the sites vacated by the degenerating
axon. Pwede sa nodes of Ranvier or sa axon terminals.
INSERT GLIAL SCAR HERE
Nakalimutan ko mag lagay. Hehe
NEURAL REORGANIZATION
• Reorganization happens through life experiences. As a response to injury, neurons
can also reorganize themselves
• Ex. Blind people are more skilled at auditory and somatosensory ability than that of
sighted individuals. Cool no?
*** Di lang itong dalawa ang kwan. Puede din kasi na yung mismong may
dameyds mag iba din ng kwan. Iksplin ko na lang ***
RECOVERY OF FUNCTION AFTER
CNS DAMAGE
• Poorly understood because improvements are modest and virtually nonexistent.
*** Para madali ma-gits, kwan, intelligence makes you do things in alternative ways.
So ma compensate mo brain damage in a different way despite na di maayos
yung kwan. ***
BOOM BULAGA!!!
STEM CELLS = No compelling evidence that they
promote cellular regeneration past a few months.
NEUROPLASTICITY AND THE
TREATMENT OF CNS DAMAGE
• Neurotranslantation = ya esta en la moda!
• Treating Spinal Injury: Sige lang ng sige sa pag balik ng function. Iksplain ko guyth.
• Cognitive and physically active people = less likely to contract neurological disorders;
and if they do, their symptoms tend to be less severe and their recovery better.