Verified Document

Memory Search And Amnesia Memorysearch The Concept Essay

Memory Search and Amnesia MemorySearch

The concept of the central nervous system suggests that the brain and nervous system is an immutable object within the body that once developed, cannot change. However recent discoveries within the field of neuroplasticity have shown that the brain is indeed mutable and changing. Even following injury the brain has the ability to create modified functional structures and to create new synapses and electrical connections. The purpose of this paper is to explore the cellular mechanisms that underlie neuroplastic phenomena in the brain and to relate them to memory, learning and function throughout the body.

Historically neuroscientists and biologists believed the brain was a rather immutable structure that once developed, could no longer change much. The brain could retain information, memorize and learn, but past childhood the brain did not have the ability to form map new synapsis and electrical connections. Thanks to the discovery of neuroplasticity, neuroscientists now know the brain is much more complex with the capacity to create and form new structures, and map new synaptic connections. This implies new memories can be created and new synaptic and electrical pathways can be created even in damaged brains to circumvent damaged pathways. New structures can even be created to help recreate structures that are injured or damaged. The implications of such discoveries are endless.

Neuroplasticity

There is much research on the brain and...

Disease and injury have tremendous effects on the brains ability to function. Historically scientists have claimed that most development in the brain, particularly functional development halts sometime after or during childhood. The theories of neuroplasticity debunk these outdated theories.
Neuroplasticity suggests the brain and nervous system change structurally and functionally based on the input the brain receives from our environment. Plasticity occurs on many different levels in the brain; these include cellular changes that occur during learning, when memory can occur, and larger scale changes that can occur during cortical remapping which often can occur following injury, which can affect memory and can invoke amnesia (Chakrabourty et al. 2007). Much of neuroscience conforms to the belief that there is a critical period during childhood after which the structure of the brain is basically immutable or unchangeable. However, according to recent research including that of Garland & Howard (2009) there is compelling support there are psychosocial forces that demonstrate that the adult brain can continue to form "novel neural connections and grow new neurons in response to learning or training" even well into old age.

This biopsychosocial perspective is a foundation to social work theory and practice, and a leading topic in current research in psychosocial genomics. Milton Erickson's neuro-psychophysiology and the work of…

Sources used in this document:
References:

Bergado-Rosado, JA, Almaquer-Melian, W. (2000 Dec). Cellular mechanisms of neuroplasticity.

Rev Neurol. 1-15:31(11): 1074-95.

Chakraborty, R., Chatterjee, A., Choudhary, S. & Chakraborty, PK. 2007 Sept. Neuroplasticity a paradigm shift in neurosciences. Journal Indian Medical Association. 105(9): 513-4, 520-1.

Rossi, E.L. (2003). Gene expression, neurogenesis, and healing: Psychosocial genomics of therapeutic hypnosis. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Neonatal Developmental to Memory Loss Stage
Words: 1992 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

Neonatal Developmental to Memory Loss Stage The centrality of memory to normal human functioning has long been the focus of ongoing research, and a great deal of understanding has been gained concerning the organic processes that are involved in retaining and recalling information during different stages of life. To determine what has been learned about learning and memory across the lifespan, this paper provides a review of the relevant peer-reviewed and

Encouraging Elderly Patients to Obtain Memory Loss Assessments
Words: 1133 Length: 3 Document Type: Article Critique

National Patient Safety Goals -- the Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals NR224 Fundamentals -- Skills Dr. Ukot The brochure from The Joint Commission entitled What You Should Know About Memory Problems and Dementia was published online on November 13, 2013. Eight professional associations collaborated with The Joint Commission to produce this brochure that is intended to be a reference for people who suspect that they may have a memory problem and are concerned

Memory Has Been Separated Into Three Categories
Words: 872 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

Memory has been separated into three categories on the basis of the "amount of time the memory lasts." (Zhang, 2004, p.1) The three categories are stated to include the following: (1) sensory memory; (2) short-term memory; and (3) long-term memory. (Zhang, 2004, p.1) The focus of this brief study is to describe each of these memory storage processes. Sensory Memory & Short-Term Memory Sensory memory is reported to act as "a buffer

Memory Previous Studies Suggested That
Words: 1562 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

267266 correct context of schema, 2.016461 correct no context of schema, 2.12909 correct context to List B. And 2.353001 correct no context. Free recall refers to remembering unrelated items in any order immediately following presentation. Delayed recall occurs between hearing the words and writing them down. Recognition is the identification of items previously learned. Primacy effect occurs after the enhanced recall of items presented at the beginning of the list, while

Loss of Function on the Quality of
Words: 1766 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

Loss of Function on the Quality of life and Independence, and Quality of life for the elderly Population Although living longer comes with a price, having a good social relationship, support system, social relationships, and residing in their own abode is what could give seniors independence, happiness, and quality of life. Before discussing how a given loss of function influences the quality of life and the independence of an aging

Memory and Learning and Cognitive Psychology
Words: 2891 Length: 7 Document Type: Research Paper

Learning and Cognitive Psychology Related to Memory Memory has control over everything that an individual does and is a part of cognitive psychology that deals with all the human behavior and mental processes. It is divided into different categories with each of them performing their particular functions. The paper investigates the different types of memories and their purpose as each one plays its part in keeping the memory part of the

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now