The Environment on a Physiological Process

1. Discuss one effect of the environment on a physiological process.

There are currently many methods applied in order to prove the neuroplasticity of the brain. It depends on many affecting environmental factors who influence greatly on physiological processes and are all considered different but equally important. Out of the many researches carried, the study of MA by Tierney et al in 2001, who reported the case of a 37 year old man that suffered a lesion in his left frontal lobe, is one of them. Researchers aimed to find out if another section of his brain had taken over the role of his left frontal lobe, which had been injured at an early age. They were also curious to see If his use of sign language during his childhood affected his ability to speak fluently regardless of encephalitis, which damaged part of his brain when he was 6 weeks old.

A PET (Positron Emission Tomography) evaluation was undertaken in order to prove the neuroplasticity of his brain. The scans were used to compare MA and other 12 participants that were fluent sign language speakers. They were required to perform tasks with speech and signing. Unlike the other participants, MA was anxious and demonstrated to have a highly developed right hemisphere of the brain which leaded to suggesting that his right hemisphere may have taken over the task of his damaged part of the brain. Although the divisions in the left hemisphere were intact, language function was established in the right side as an arrangement influenced by adaptation of learning sign language. In this case, the main environmental effect were his parents. Both were deaf and MA was exposed to signing since very little. This modification of tasks amongst the parts of his brain serve as confirmation of neuroplasticity due to the fact that "the brain can change in response to brain damage and new areas can take over the function of language if there is enough practice." (Psychology