Describe how the use of cinnamon changes mouse performance on the Barnes maze.

Scientists demonstrated that cinnamon increased neural plasticity in some parts of mouse brains. Explain how neural plasticity could have affected learning in poor performer mice.

It has been suggested that cinnamon might be of benefit to patients who are recovering from a stroke. Suggest one advantage of adding cinnamon to the diet of a patient who has suffered a stroke.

a. poor performers performed «much» better after a diet with cinnamon ✔

b. cinnamon made good performers perform slightly better/the same ✔

a. developing neurons form multiple synapses, so there are more connections between neurons ✔

b. synapses that are not used do not persist/neural pruning ✔

c. less synapses means there is less interference of stimuli / less background noise ✔

d. neurons/synapses that are used a lot are reinforced so information is accessed faster in neurons ✔

a. reorganization of brain function through plasticity «which is enhanced by cinnamon» ✔

b. cinnamon helps to form new neural pathways to replace the ones that were lost «due to the stroke» ✔

Describing how the use of cinnamon changes mouse performance on the maze was successfully answered.

In part (b) most candidates got 2 marks out of 3, as they failed to fully relate the concept of neural plasticity to learning.

In (c) most candidates suggested cinnamon helps to form new neural pathways to replace the ones lost due to a stroke.