UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
College of Education
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
PDP4802: Cognition and Learning
Assessment 02 — Year Module, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
PDP4802
Module Code:
Cognition and Learning
Module Name:
Assessment 02
Assessment Number:
613862
Unique Number:
24 July 2026
Due Date:
50
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for PDP4802 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | PDP4802 Assessment 02 – Neuropsychology and Brain Function
Question 1: Neuropsychology, Brain Injury and Recovery (Thandi’s Case)
The following responses draw on neuropsychological theory and clinical research to analyse
Thandi’s brain injury, her Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction, and the brain mechanisms involved
in her language difficulties following a car accident. References are drawn from the prescribed
study guide (Learning Unit 2), Landsberg et al. (2019), and peer-reviewed neuropsychological
literature.
1.1 Definition of Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology is a scientific discipline at the intersection of neuroscience and psychology
that studies the relationship between brain structure, brain function, and observable human
behaviour. It examines how neurological conditions, injuries, or developmental differences
affect cognitive processes such as attention, memory, language, executive functioning, and
emotional regulation (Luque-Rojas and Palermo, 2024:1). The foundational assumption of
neuropsychology is that there is a discoverable and systematically describable relationship
between specific brain areas or neural networks and the behavioural or cognitive capacities
they support (ScienceDirect, 2024:1).
As a discipline, neuropsychology operates across two broad domains. Experimental neu-
ropsychology seeks to understand the structure of cognitive processes by observing how
brain damage disrupts them, thereby revealing which neural substrates underpin which func-
tions. Clinical neuropsychology applies this knowledge to assessment, diagnosis, treatment,
and rehabilitation of individuals whose brain functioning has been compromised by injury,
disease, or developmental conditions (Wiley, 2024:1). Together, these domains make neuropsy-
chology uniquely relevant to education: a teacher who understands neuropsychological princi-
ples can recognise when a learner’s academic difficulties are rooted in neurological disruption
rather than motivational or environmental factors alone (Luque-Rojas and Palermo, 2024:2).
In Thandi’s case, neuropsychology provides the theoretical framework for understanding how
physical trauma to her brain will affect her cognitive functioning, emotional state, language
ability, and capacity to re-engage with schoolwork. Her neuropsychological profile must be
understood before any educational support can be meaningfully designed.
Page 2 of 14
,UNISA | PDP4802 Assessment 02 – Neuropsychology and Brain Function
Key Distinction
Neuropsychology versus neurology: Neurology focuses on the diagnosis and med-
ical treatment of nervous system diseases. Neuropsychology focuses on the cognitive
and behavioural consequences of those conditions and on functional rehabilitation. A
neurologist identifies where the brain damage is; a neuropsychologist assesses what it
means for how the person thinks, feels, and functions (ScienceDirect, 2024:1).
1.2 Two Neuro-Physical Disabilities Thandi May Have Developed
Given that Thandi sustained physical trauma to her brain serious enough to require two weeks
of hospitalisation, she is at risk for a range of neuro-physical disabilities. Two examples di-
rectly relevant to traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children are discussed below.
Disability 1: Hemiplegia or Motor Weakness. Traumatic brain injury affecting the mo-
tor cortex or its descending corticospinal tracts can result in hemiplegia (paralysis on one side
of the body) or hemiparesis (partial weakness on one side) (Landsberg et al., 2019:Chapter
17). This is a neuro-physical disability because it arises from neurological damage but mani-
fests as a physical impairment in movement, coordination, and fine motor control. In a school
context, Thandi may struggle with tasks that require handwriting, carrying books, or navigat-
ing the physical environment of the school.
Disability 2: Post-Traumatic Epilepsy. Head injuries, particularly those involving cor-
tical damage or bleeding, are a well-established cause of acquired epilepsy in children and
adolescents (Landsberg et al., 2019:Chapter 17). Post-traumatic epilepsy occurs when the
scarred or irritated brain tissue generates abnormal electrical discharges, producing seizures.
For Thandi, seizure activity could further disrupt her schooling, limit her physical indepen-
dence, and create social difficulties if seizures occur in the classroom.
¥ Implementation Insight
Both conditions are manageable with appropriate medical intervention and school-based
support. A teacher who is informed about hemiplegia and post-traumatic epilepsy can
make physical adjustments to the classroom, ensure safety protocols are in place, and
liaise with the school-based support team to provide Thandi with appropriate learning
accommodations under South Africa’s Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment
and Support (SIAS).
Page 3 of 14
,UNISA | PDP4802 Assessment 02 – Neuropsychology and Brain Function
1.3 Brain Plasticity and Recovery from PTSR
1.3.1 Explaining Brain Plasticity
Brain plasticity, also called neuroplasticity, refers to the brain’s capacity to reorganise its
structural and functional networks in response to experience, learning, or injury throughout
the lifespan (Zotey et al., 2023:1). It is not a single mechanism but a family of related pro-
cesses operating at multiple levels:
Synaptic plasticity involves the strengthening or weakening of existing synaptic connections
through long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), allowing frequently
used neural pathways to become more efficient (Zotey et al., 2023:2). Structural plasticity
refers to physical changes in brain architecture, including axonal sprouting (growth of new
axon branches), dendritic remodelling (changes in the tree-like extensions of neurons), and in
some regions, neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons) (Zotey et al., 2023:2). Functional
plasticity describes the brain’s ability to redistribute cognitive tasks from damaged regions to
healthy ones, so that functions are not permanently lost when specific areas are injured (Open
Access Journals, 2024:2).
Neuroplasticity is most pronounced during childhood and adolescence because the brain is still
developing and has a greater abundance of growth factors and synaptic redundancy than the
adult brain. This means that younger learners like Thandi have a stronger biological capacity
for recovery than adults with equivalent injuries (Wilde et al., 2021:1).
1.3.2 How Brain Plasticity Allows Recovery from PTSR
Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction (PTSR) involves altered functioning in the amygdala (which
becomes hyperactivated, generating excessive fear responses), the prefrontal cortex (which
loses regulatory control over the amygdala), and the hippocampus (which is involved in mem-
ory processing and is particularly vulnerable to stress hormones such as cortisol) (PsychCen-
tral, 2022:1).
Brain plasticity facilitates recovery from PTSR in several ways. First, psychotherapy such
as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) works partly by stimulating
neuroplastic changes: repeated therapeutic exposure to traumatic memories in a safe context
gradually weakens the fear-conditioned neural pathways in the amygdala through extinction
learning, a plasticity-based process (PsychCentral, 2022:1). Second, psychotropic medication
Page 4 of 14
, UNISA | PDP4802 Assessment 02 – Neuropsychology and Brain Function
prescribed for Thandi (such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can enhance neuro-
plasticity by promoting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports
the survival of existing neurons and the growth of new synaptic connections in the prefrontal
cortex and hippocampus (Wilde et al., 2021:2). Third, as Thandi returns to familiar routines
and safe relationships at school, the prefrontal cortex gradually regains regulatory control over
the amygdala through repeated experience of non-threatening social interactions, a process
mediated by functional plasticity (Zotey et al., 2023:3).
. Critical Consideration
Recovery through neuroplasticity is not automatic. Maladaptive plasticity is also possi-
ble: if Thandi’s PTSR goes untreated, the chronically elevated cortisol associated with
ongoing stress can itself suppress hippocampal neurogenesis and reinforce hyperactive
fear circuits, making recovery progressively harder. This is why early, evidence-based
intervention is medically and neurologically necessary, not merely psychologically
desirable (Zotey et al., 2023:3).
1.4 Brain Areas Affected by Receptive and Expressive Language Difficulties
When Thandi returns to school with difficulties in both receptive and expressive language,
the neuropsychological explanation points to damage in the brain’s primary language net-
work, which is located predominantly in the left hemisphere of the brain in most right-handed
individuals.
Expressive Language Difficulties – Broca’s Area. Expressive aphasia (also called Broca’s
aphasia) results from damage to Broca’s area, located in the posterior inferior frontal gyrus of
the left hemisphere (Brodmann Areas 44 and 45) (NIH-NIDCD, 2023:1). This region con-
trols the motor planning and production of speech. A child with damage to Broca’s area
speaks in short, effortful phrases, omits grammatical function words (prepositions, articles,
conjunctions), and produces what is described as telegraphic speech. She understands what is
said to her reasonably well but cannot formulate fluent verbal responses (Wikipedia, 2025:1).
For Thandi, this would appear in the classroom as difficulty answering questions verbally, re-
luctance to speak in front of peers, and frustration when she cannot communicate what she
knows.
Receptive Language Difficulties – Wernicke’s Area. Receptive aphasia (Wernicke’s
aphasia) follows damage to Wernicke’s area, located in the posterior superior temporal gyrus
Page 5 of 14
College of Education
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
PDP4802: Cognition and Learning
Assessment 02 — Year Module, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
PDP4802
Module Code:
Cognition and Learning
Module Name:
Assessment 02
Assessment Number:
613862
Unique Number:
24 July 2026
Due Date:
50
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for PDP4802 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | PDP4802 Assessment 02 – Neuropsychology and Brain Function
Question 1: Neuropsychology, Brain Injury and Recovery (Thandi’s Case)
The following responses draw on neuropsychological theory and clinical research to analyse
Thandi’s brain injury, her Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction, and the brain mechanisms involved
in her language difficulties following a car accident. References are drawn from the prescribed
study guide (Learning Unit 2), Landsberg et al. (2019), and peer-reviewed neuropsychological
literature.
1.1 Definition of Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology is a scientific discipline at the intersection of neuroscience and psychology
that studies the relationship between brain structure, brain function, and observable human
behaviour. It examines how neurological conditions, injuries, or developmental differences
affect cognitive processes such as attention, memory, language, executive functioning, and
emotional regulation (Luque-Rojas and Palermo, 2024:1). The foundational assumption of
neuropsychology is that there is a discoverable and systematically describable relationship
between specific brain areas or neural networks and the behavioural or cognitive capacities
they support (ScienceDirect, 2024:1).
As a discipline, neuropsychology operates across two broad domains. Experimental neu-
ropsychology seeks to understand the structure of cognitive processes by observing how
brain damage disrupts them, thereby revealing which neural substrates underpin which func-
tions. Clinical neuropsychology applies this knowledge to assessment, diagnosis, treatment,
and rehabilitation of individuals whose brain functioning has been compromised by injury,
disease, or developmental conditions (Wiley, 2024:1). Together, these domains make neuropsy-
chology uniquely relevant to education: a teacher who understands neuropsychological princi-
ples can recognise when a learner’s academic difficulties are rooted in neurological disruption
rather than motivational or environmental factors alone (Luque-Rojas and Palermo, 2024:2).
In Thandi’s case, neuropsychology provides the theoretical framework for understanding how
physical trauma to her brain will affect her cognitive functioning, emotional state, language
ability, and capacity to re-engage with schoolwork. Her neuropsychological profile must be
understood before any educational support can be meaningfully designed.
Page 2 of 14
,UNISA | PDP4802 Assessment 02 – Neuropsychology and Brain Function
Key Distinction
Neuropsychology versus neurology: Neurology focuses on the diagnosis and med-
ical treatment of nervous system diseases. Neuropsychology focuses on the cognitive
and behavioural consequences of those conditions and on functional rehabilitation. A
neurologist identifies where the brain damage is; a neuropsychologist assesses what it
means for how the person thinks, feels, and functions (ScienceDirect, 2024:1).
1.2 Two Neuro-Physical Disabilities Thandi May Have Developed
Given that Thandi sustained physical trauma to her brain serious enough to require two weeks
of hospitalisation, she is at risk for a range of neuro-physical disabilities. Two examples di-
rectly relevant to traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children are discussed below.
Disability 1: Hemiplegia or Motor Weakness. Traumatic brain injury affecting the mo-
tor cortex or its descending corticospinal tracts can result in hemiplegia (paralysis on one side
of the body) or hemiparesis (partial weakness on one side) (Landsberg et al., 2019:Chapter
17). This is a neuro-physical disability because it arises from neurological damage but mani-
fests as a physical impairment in movement, coordination, and fine motor control. In a school
context, Thandi may struggle with tasks that require handwriting, carrying books, or navigat-
ing the physical environment of the school.
Disability 2: Post-Traumatic Epilepsy. Head injuries, particularly those involving cor-
tical damage or bleeding, are a well-established cause of acquired epilepsy in children and
adolescents (Landsberg et al., 2019:Chapter 17). Post-traumatic epilepsy occurs when the
scarred or irritated brain tissue generates abnormal electrical discharges, producing seizures.
For Thandi, seizure activity could further disrupt her schooling, limit her physical indepen-
dence, and create social difficulties if seizures occur in the classroom.
¥ Implementation Insight
Both conditions are manageable with appropriate medical intervention and school-based
support. A teacher who is informed about hemiplegia and post-traumatic epilepsy can
make physical adjustments to the classroom, ensure safety protocols are in place, and
liaise with the school-based support team to provide Thandi with appropriate learning
accommodations under South Africa’s Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment
and Support (SIAS).
Page 3 of 14
,UNISA | PDP4802 Assessment 02 – Neuropsychology and Brain Function
1.3 Brain Plasticity and Recovery from PTSR
1.3.1 Explaining Brain Plasticity
Brain plasticity, also called neuroplasticity, refers to the brain’s capacity to reorganise its
structural and functional networks in response to experience, learning, or injury throughout
the lifespan (Zotey et al., 2023:1). It is not a single mechanism but a family of related pro-
cesses operating at multiple levels:
Synaptic plasticity involves the strengthening or weakening of existing synaptic connections
through long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), allowing frequently
used neural pathways to become more efficient (Zotey et al., 2023:2). Structural plasticity
refers to physical changes in brain architecture, including axonal sprouting (growth of new
axon branches), dendritic remodelling (changes in the tree-like extensions of neurons), and in
some regions, neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons) (Zotey et al., 2023:2). Functional
plasticity describes the brain’s ability to redistribute cognitive tasks from damaged regions to
healthy ones, so that functions are not permanently lost when specific areas are injured (Open
Access Journals, 2024:2).
Neuroplasticity is most pronounced during childhood and adolescence because the brain is still
developing and has a greater abundance of growth factors and synaptic redundancy than the
adult brain. This means that younger learners like Thandi have a stronger biological capacity
for recovery than adults with equivalent injuries (Wilde et al., 2021:1).
1.3.2 How Brain Plasticity Allows Recovery from PTSR
Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction (PTSR) involves altered functioning in the amygdala (which
becomes hyperactivated, generating excessive fear responses), the prefrontal cortex (which
loses regulatory control over the amygdala), and the hippocampus (which is involved in mem-
ory processing and is particularly vulnerable to stress hormones such as cortisol) (PsychCen-
tral, 2022:1).
Brain plasticity facilitates recovery from PTSR in several ways. First, psychotherapy such
as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) works partly by stimulating
neuroplastic changes: repeated therapeutic exposure to traumatic memories in a safe context
gradually weakens the fear-conditioned neural pathways in the amygdala through extinction
learning, a plasticity-based process (PsychCentral, 2022:1). Second, psychotropic medication
Page 4 of 14
, UNISA | PDP4802 Assessment 02 – Neuropsychology and Brain Function
prescribed for Thandi (such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can enhance neuro-
plasticity by promoting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports
the survival of existing neurons and the growth of new synaptic connections in the prefrontal
cortex and hippocampus (Wilde et al., 2021:2). Third, as Thandi returns to familiar routines
and safe relationships at school, the prefrontal cortex gradually regains regulatory control over
the amygdala through repeated experience of non-threatening social interactions, a process
mediated by functional plasticity (Zotey et al., 2023:3).
. Critical Consideration
Recovery through neuroplasticity is not automatic. Maladaptive plasticity is also possi-
ble: if Thandi’s PTSR goes untreated, the chronically elevated cortisol associated with
ongoing stress can itself suppress hippocampal neurogenesis and reinforce hyperactive
fear circuits, making recovery progressively harder. This is why early, evidence-based
intervention is medically and neurologically necessary, not merely psychologically
desirable (Zotey et al., 2023:3).
1.4 Brain Areas Affected by Receptive and Expressive Language Difficulties
When Thandi returns to school with difficulties in both receptive and expressive language,
the neuropsychological explanation points to damage in the brain’s primary language net-
work, which is located predominantly in the left hemisphere of the brain in most right-handed
individuals.
Expressive Language Difficulties – Broca’s Area. Expressive aphasia (also called Broca’s
aphasia) results from damage to Broca’s area, located in the posterior inferior frontal gyrus of
the left hemisphere (Brodmann Areas 44 and 45) (NIH-NIDCD, 2023:1). This region con-
trols the motor planning and production of speech. A child with damage to Broca’s area
speaks in short, effortful phrases, omits grammatical function words (prepositions, articles,
conjunctions), and produces what is described as telegraphic speech. She understands what is
said to her reasonably well but cannot formulate fluent verbal responses (Wikipedia, 2025:1).
For Thandi, this would appear in the classroom as difficulty answering questions verbally, re-
luctance to speak in front of peers, and frustration when she cannot communicate what she
knows.
Receptive Language Difficulties – Wernicke’s Area. Receptive aphasia (Wernicke’s
aphasia) follows damage to Wernicke’s area, located in the posterior superior temporal gyrus
Page 5 of 14
