Page 30 - UNIT 3 Brain Building
P. 30
Brain Building Answers
6. When we become better at doing something and find it easier, it is
because practice has caused neural firing to take place. This repeated neural
firing has caused the myelin sheath to thicken and dentrites to become bushier.
This in turn means the message travels more quickly between neurons. The
faster the signals in the brain, the better we are at doing that thing!
7. Scientists have found that new brain circuitry can be built at any age.
8. There are many studies that could be used to explain how experiences build the
brain, e.g.:
o Donald Hebb and the rats study
o Hubel and Wiesel‘s study with eye-patched kittens
o Maguire’s study of London taxi drivers which found the areas of the
brain associated with navigation was larger than in non-taxi drivers
(and increased with experience).
o Kraus et al’s study of music and neuroplasticity.
