Neuroplasticity
Did you know that our brains have a superpower? It’s called neuroplasticity. This is a method by which our brain has the ability to re wire, change and adapt due to external or internal stimuli. It has the ability to form new neural pathways, create structural or functional changes.
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
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Characteristics of Neuroplasticity
There are a few defining characteristics of neuroplasticity.
Age and Environment Play a Role
While plasticity occurs throughout the lifetime, certain types of changes are more predominant at specific ages. The brain tends to change a great deal during the early years of life, for example, as the immature brain grows and organizes itself.Generally, young brains tend to be more sensitive and responsive but even older brains are very capable of plasticity. Genetics can have an influence as well. The interaction between the environment and genetics also plays a role in shaping the brain's plasticity.
NeuroplasticityIs an Ongoing Process
Plasticity is ongoing throughout life and involves brain cells other than neurons, including glial and vascular cells. It can occur as a result of learning, experience, and memory formation, or as a result of damage to the brain.While people used to believe that the brain became fixed after a certain age, newer research has revealed that the brain never stops changing in response to learning. In instances of damage to the brain, such as during a stroke, the areas of the brain associated with certain functions may be injured. Eventually, healthy parts of the brain may take over those functions and the abilities can be restored.
Brain Plasticity Has Limitations
It is important to note, however, that the brain is not infinitely malleable. Certain areas of the brain are largely responsible for certain actions. For example, there are areas of the brain that play critical roles in movement, language, speech, and cognition.Damage to key areas of the brain can result in deficits in those areas because, while some recovery may be possible, other areas of the brain simply cannot fully take over those functions that were affected by the damage.
How to ImproveNeuroplasticity
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.9 Stimulating your brain might mean:Learning a new languageLearning 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.Sleep has been shown to have important effects on both physical and mental health. Some researchers suggest that this is partly due to genetics and partly due to the makeup of the grey matter in the brain. You can improve your sleep by practicing good sleep hygiene. This includes developing a consistent sleep schedule and creating an environment that contributes to good sleep.
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. A 2021 study adds that physical exercise also appears to boost brain plasticity through its impact on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, a protein that impacts nerve growth), functional connectivity, and the basal ganglia—the part of the brain responsible for motor control and learning. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercises (such as walking, dancing, swimming, or cycling) per week and a minimum of two days of strength training exercises (lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises).
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness entails completely immersing your mind in the present moment, without ruminating over the past or contemplating the future. Awareness of the sights, sounds, and sensations around you is key. Many studies have shown that cultivating and practicing mindfulness can foster the brain's neuroplasticity.
Play
Games aren't just for kids: Studies show that playing board, card, video, and other games can improve your brain's neuroplasticity.
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