What Is Neuroplasticity?

Plasticity refers to the brain's malleability, which is defined as being "easily influenced, trained, or controlled."

Types of Neuroplasticity

• Functional plasticity is the brain's ability to move functions from a damaged area of the brain to other undamaged areas.

• Structural plasticity is the brain's ability to actually change its physical structure as a result of learning.

How Neuroplasticity Works

The first few years of a child's life are a time of rapid brain growth. At birth, every neuron in the cerebral cortex has an estimated 2,500 synapses, or small gaps between neurons where nerve impulses are relayed. By the age of three, this number has grown to a whopping 15,000 synapses per neuron.

The average adult, however, only has about half that number of synapses. Why? Because as we gain new experiences, some connections are strengthened while others are eliminated. This process is known as synaptic pruning.

Neurons that are used frequently develop stronger connections. Those that are rarely or never used eventually die. By developing new connections and pruning away weak ones, the brain can adapt to the changing environment.

Benefits of Neuroplasticity

There are many benefits of brain neuroplasticity. Allowing your brain to adapt and change helps promote:

• The ability to learn new things

• The ability to enhance existing cognitive capabilities

• Recovery from strokes and traumatic brain injuries

• Strengthening areas where function is lost or has declined

• Improvements that can boost brain fitness

How to Improve Neuroplasticity

There are steps you can take to help encourage your brain to adapt and change, at any age.

Enrich Your Environment

Learning environments that offer plenty of opportunities for focused attention, novelty, and challenge have been shown to stimulate positive changes in the brain. This is particularly important during childhood and adolescence, but enriching your environment can continue to provide brain rewards well into adulthood.

Stimulating your brain might mean:

• Learning a new language

• Learning how to play an instrument

• Traveling and exploring new places

• Creating art and other creative pursuits

• Reading

Get Plenty of Rest

Research has shown that sleep plays an important role in dendritic growth in the brain. Dendrites are the growths at the end of neurons that help transmit information from one neuron to the next. By strengthening these connections, you may be able to encourage greater brain plasticity.

Exercise Regularly

Regular physical activity has a number of brain benefits. Some research indicates that exercise might help prevent neuron loss in key areas of the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory and other functions. Other studies suggest that exercise plays a role in new neuron formation in this same region.

Key Points

• The brain has an amazing ability to change throughout the course of our life, allowing us to learn new things or recover after sustaining a brain-based injury. Still, there are limits to how much the brain can adapt.

• Constantly challenging ourselves, making sleep a priority, and getting regular exercise can also help improve brain plasticity. Avoiding certain substances is beneficial as well.

Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-2794886

Which of these activities would be your favorite?

#Neuroscience #Brain #Positivity #Well-being