Example Answer for Question 6 Paper 2: A Level Psychology, June 2017 (AQA)

Section B – Biopsychology: Q6 [4 Marks]

Brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt because of experience. Research has demonstrated that the brain continues to create new neural pathways and alter existing ones in response to changing experiences. Furthermore, the brain also appears to show evidence of functional recovery: the transfer of functions from a damaged area of the brain after trauma to other undamaged areas. It can do this through a process termed neuronal unmasking where ‘dormant’ synapses (which have not received enough input to be active) open connections to compensate for a nearby damaged area of the brain. This allows new connections in the brain to be activated, thus recovering any damage occurring in specific regions.

Therefore, Lotta might be wrong because the functions that her grandmother has lost (e.g. speech and movement in the right side) may transfer to other areas of her brain (through neuronal unmasking) which would allow her to recover some of the functions that she has lost. Furthermore, new experiences (e.g. through rehabilitation) may allow her brain to change and adapt which may also help her to recover these lost functions.

Please Note: These answers have been produced without the knowledge of the mark scheme and merely reflect my attempt at producing a model answer on the day of the exam.