Question: After reading Chapter 13 of your course text and viewing The Road to Recovery Following Brain Injury and What is a Stem Cell?, which cover brain injury and repair, analyze the clinical, biological, and psychological factors that are important in successful brain function recovery outcomes. How can the brain repair itself or restore lost function after TBI or other brain damage (focus on the concept of neuroplasticity)? Wilson (2012) lists ways that the brain can repair itself, but reminds us later in the chapter that, in most areas of the brain, replication of neurons by mitosis to replace lost/dead neurons only occurs in immature brains (i.e., essentially those younger than age two). There are some areas (e.g., the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory) that have neurogenesis, but other areas of the brain must utilize neuroplasticity to restore lost function.

In addition, discuss what clinical, biological, and psychological factors are important in successful brain function recovery outcomes. What are some clinical interventions (e.g., medication, surgery, stem cell therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, rehabilitation techniques, and psychotherapy) that help facilitate the restoration of lost brain function? Include information on brain structures, pathways, neurotransmitters/receptors, and psychological factors when discussing the topic areas above. Additional emphasis should be placed on relating the underlying pathology of brain trauma and damage to the actual biologic mechanism of how various treatments support repair or restoration of function.

In keeping with the focus of this class, the emphasis should be placed on the role of neurotransmitter and receptor systems, neuroanatomical structures, and neurological functional pathways. You must use a minimum of one peer-reviewed source that was published within the last five years, documented in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Your post should be a minimum of 250 words. You may cite and reference your textbook, required reading and/or multimedia, but these will not fulfill the source requirement.