6.1.9

CIMT (A2 Only) & Postmortem Examinations

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Constraint Induced Movement Therapy & Postmortems

Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) is a therapy used to improve upper limb use after neurological damage such as a stroke. Post-mortem examinations are used to establish the underlying neurobiology of a particular behaviour.

Illustrative background for What is CIMT?Illustrative background for What is CIMT? ?? "content

What is CIMT?

  • It is a form of physiotherapy which aims to encourage patients to use their weaker limb more whilst restraining the good arm by carrying out intense repetitive tasks.
  • There is evidence to suggest that it ‘rewires’ the brain; so evidence to support brain plasticity after trauma.
Illustrative background for Evaluation of CIMTIllustrative background for Evaluation of CIMT ?? "content

Evaluation of CIMT

  • Strengths
    • Beneficial for many patients.
    • Decrease in medical costs over a lifetime.
    • Research based.
  • Limitations
    • Takes time and motivation.
    • Can be painful.
    • Does not work for all patients and can in fact make some worse.
Illustrative background for What are postmortem examinations?Illustrative background for What are postmortem examinations? ?? "content

What are postmortem examinations?

  • Post-mortem examinations are used to establish the underlying neurobiology of a particular behaviour.
    • For example, researchers may study a person who displays behaviour while they’re alive that suggests possible underlying brain damage.
    • Subsequently, when the person dies, the researchers can examine their brain to look for abnormalities that might explain that behavior and which are not found in control individuals.
Illustrative background for Evaluation of postmortemsIllustrative background for Evaluation of postmortems ?? "content

Evaluation of postmortems

  • Strengths
    • Provides an insight into brain structure.
    • Generates hypotheses for further study.
    • Increases medical knowledge.
  • Limitations
    • Causation – observed deficits maybe linked to trauma or decay rather than issue being studied.
    • Ethics – consent of person before death e.g. can brain damaged patients like HM give informed consent?

Jump to other topics

1Social Influence

2Memory

3Attachment

4Psychopathology

5Approaches in Psychology

6Biopsychology

7Research Methods

8Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)

9Option 1: Relationships (A2 only)

10Option 1: Gender (A2 only)

11Option 1: Cognition & Development (A2 only)

12Option 2: Schizophrenia (A2 only)

13Option 2: Eating Behaviour (A2 only)

14Option 2: Stress (A2 only)

15Option 3: Aggression (A2 only)

16Option 3: Forensic Psychology (A2 only)

17Option 3: Addiction (A2 only)

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