After a stroke, my neighbor’s mom suffered muscle weakness in her left side. She’s nearly 100% now, thanks to hard work and time. This is the miracle of neuroplasticity.
…Dr. Donald O. Hebb explained the happenings very simply: Cells that fire together, connect together.
The brain is made up of 86 billion neuronal connections.
Calculate that this is about 150,000,000,000,000 (150 billion) connections. The fact that these trillions of plastic connections bring healing and hope.
There are many things to know about neuroplasticity. We’ve divided this article into two parts. In this part, we’ll define some terms. In part two, we will discuss how to use it.
Let’s get busy…
What is neuroplasticity ?
Here’s a Merriam-Webster definition of plastic: “Capable of being molded, capable of adapting itself to different conditions.”
Add neuro, nerve, nervous tissue and the nervous system to your vocabulary.
The brain’s neural connections are reorganized by neuroplasticity in response to our daily experiences.
It’s not surprising that the brain is very active during infant, toddler and prepubescent development. The adult brain is amazingly plastic.
Let’s avoid confusing neuroplasticity and neurogenesis, the process of forming new neurons.
Maladies and injuries
Neuroplasticity is the foundation for healing after injury and disease. My neighbor’s mom regained her strength even though her neurons that controlled the muscles of her left side were destroyed.
It’s also why antidepressants and other treatments work to relieve depression and anxiety symptoms.
We often don’t give much thought to the reasons behind relief. It’s as if – poof! – it was magic. It was anatomical or physiological. Neuroplasticity is the most important factor.