What we know about the human brain is always changing, and their is still so much researchers don’t know. Is it possible to fully recover from a stroke? If not, what can be done to best help stroke patients? There are many common misconceptions which are far from the truth. Neuro plasticity can help with these.
Neuro plasticity is the ability of the brain to undergo structural or physiological changes. Research has shown us that changes in the brain depend on our behavior. Changes in the brain aren’t limited by age, so it can happen anytime. Physical changes in our brain can happen by learning. For example, studies show that London taxi drivers, who have to memorize the map of London, have larger brain regions devoted to mapping memories. The more you use a brain region, it becomes easier to do over and over again. This is neuro plasticity.
So, some might wonder, that if neuro plasticity is so amazing, then why is it hard to memorize certain things, or why do children fail school. There are some limits to neuro plasticity. For example, stroke patients. The people who actually survive from strokes tend to have a very difficult time fully recovering. So far, rehabilitations have failed to find a reliable solution to help stroke patients recover, leaving them disabled. So, what can be done about this?
There is no such neuro plasticity drug that’s more effective than practice. In fact, practice leads to more learning and better structural change in the brain. There is no true recipe for learning. Some people take more practice than others. Our brains are unique, and every persons brain changes in different ways. In fact, after reading this passage, your brain is not the same.
The brain is a magnificent thing, and is constantly being shaped by the things around you. Everything you do, everything you encounter, everything you experience, will change your brain, either for the better, or for the worse. The brain will never stop changing.