Elena, a 45-year-old software engineer, recently survived a traumatic brain injury (TBI) affecting the left hemisphere of her brain, specifically causing localized damage to Broca's area and the somatosensory cortex. Her partner, Marcus, is highly anxious that because Elena is a middle-aged adult, her neural pathways are entirely fixed and she will never recover her speech production or sensation on the right side of her body.
Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain why Marcus's concerns may be unfounded.
16 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Psychology Localisation, lateralisation and plasticity (A-level only). Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.