A parent of a newborn who has mental retardation asks the nurse to explain what the pediatrician meant then he said, "The brain of the newborn has anatomic plasticity

Question

" Which of the following statements by the nurse would best explain anatomic plasticity? a. "This means nerve cells in certain brain areas can assume functions of a different area, or signals can be rerouted around a nonfunctioning area."
b. "The brain is in a bony cage that, like hard plastic, will not give, and so parents must use caution to protect the head at all times."
c. "The brain is heartier than previously thought and has a harder surface on the outer layer of the brain."
d. "This is referring to the pliability of plastic, which is soft, and to the electric conductivity of plastic, which transmits signals rapidly."

Answer 1

A

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A Correct. Anatomic plasticity refers to the ability of nerve cells in a certain area of the brain to assume the functions of a different area, or the signals can be rerouted around a nonfunctioning area. A newborn may be able to reassign portions of the brain to replace those lost through a hypoxic incident or to develop complementary abilities that compensate for deficits.
B Incorrect. A newborn's skull is more elastic than an adult's, the fontanelles are not yet closed, allowing the brain to grow in size. The statement that the brain is in a bony cage like hard plastic is incorrect. Additionally, this statement does not describe anatomic plasticity.
C Incorrect. This statement does not describe anatomic plasticity.
D Incorrect. This statement does not define anatomic plasticity.