Page 15 - Unit 5: Brain Shaping
P. 15
Rats & Cats:
How experiences build brains
Neuroscientists, David Hubel and
Torsten Wiesel (1964) investigated the
impact of restricting sight in one eye of
kittens from birth.
They found that when the barrier was
removed, vision had been lost in the eye
that had been restricted. They also found
that the neural circuitry in the part of the
brain for that eye had not developed.
Neuroscientist, Donald Hebb (cited in Jensen, 2015)
compared the brains of laboratory rats with rats he had
taken home as pets for his children.
He found stronger neural circuitry in the rats which had
spent time roaming the house and navigating spaces than
the laboratory rats. The pet rats were also better able to
solve problems.
This evidenced how it is experiences that build new
pathways.
