In a highly plastic cerebral cortex,
A) the areas of the brain are strongly committed to specific functions, and there is a high capacity for learning.
B) if a part of the cortex is damaged, other parts can take over the tasks it would have handled.
C) spatial skills develop more rapidly than language skills and are easier to recover after injury.
D) the right and left hemispheres of the brain have become strongly lateralized.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A highly plastic cerebral cortex refers to the brain's ability to reorganize itself in response to new experiences or changes in the environment. Therefore, if a part of the cortex is damaged, other parts can take over the tasks it would have handled, thus indicating that option B is the correct answer. Option A implies that the areas of the brain are strongly committed to specific functions, which contradicts the concept of a highly plastic cerebral cortex. Option C is incorrect because both spatial and language skills can develop and recover after injury, and there is no evidence that suggests one is easier than the other. Option D is incorrect because lateralization refers to the specialization of functions in the right and left hemispheres of the brain, which may or may not occur in a highly plastic cerebral cortex.

In a Highly Plastic Cerebral Cortex