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Plasticity comes into play at the deepest levels of brain structure. In response to the right stimuli, neural connections can be rewired and refined, the brain’s gray matter can thicken, and new neurons can be produced. Scientists call this natural adaptive ability brain plasticity or neuroplasticity. Harnessing this ability can have dramatic and sometimes life-changing effects.
There is now widespread consensus among neuroscientists that the brain retains its ability to change throughout life, but that wasn’t always the case. Just a few decades ago, most scientists believed that different areas of the brain were “hard-wired” shortly after birth to handle different aspects of brain function. A small cohort of neuroscientists challenged that idea. They argued that certain cognitive changes, such as recovery from stroke or the learning of new skills, demonstrated that the brain had the capability to change itself at any age given the right conditions. Over the past 20 years, scientists have shown – in one brain area after another and in system after system – that the brain is actually highly adaptive (or plastic) in adults and remains so throughout life.
This discovery has sparked a revolution in brain health and science. The promise includes a broad range of exciting applications, from enhancing cognitive performance to reversing serious disorders.
There is now widespread consensus among neuroscientists that the brain retains its ability to change throughout life, but that wasn’t always the case. Just a few decades ago, most scientists believed that different areas of the brain were “hard-wired” shortly after birth to handle different aspects of brain function. A small cohort of neuroscientists challenged that idea. They argued that certain cognitive changes, such as recovery from stroke or the learning of new skills, demonstrated that the brain had the capability to change itself at any age given the right conditions. Over the past 20 years, scientists have shown – in one brain area after another and in system after system – that the brain is actually highly adaptive (or plastic) in adults and remains so throughout life.
This discovery has sparked a revolution in brain health and science. The promise includes a broad range of exciting applications, from enhancing cognitive performance to reversing serious disorders.
Research has shown that engaging the brain’s plasticity to drive beneficial changes requires exact stimuli delivered in the appropriate sequence with precise timing. The training must be intensive, repetitive, and progressively challenging. Individuals must be strongly engaged in the training, paying close attention. It’s all about the mind’s vitality–nurturing it, reclaiming it and giving it strength.