pathways and connections in our brains. Scientists agree that the overwhelming evidence shows - challenging yourself both physically and mentally boosts brain power.
Watch the short 2 minute video below. Understanding the purpose of things not only leads to better learning, engagement and cooperation, it leads to better frustration tolerance — which is a huge part of being mentally tough.
Neuroplasticity a definition
Neuroplasticity is an umbrella term commonly used to mean that the brain and nervous system is plastic (another word for malleable), and can be remodeled or ‘re-wired’ in response to experiences over the lifetime.
Your brain is made up of 100 billion or so neurons each making up to 10,000 connections, or synapses, with other neurons*. Neurons communicate by sending chemical signals (a.k.a. neurotransmitters) across the synapse, with neurotransmitter release determined by patterns of neural impulses.
Neural impulses code your thoughts, actions and experiences. But they’re not simply transmitted along hard-wired pathways in the brain; the same thoughts, actions and experiences continually reorganize the structure and function of pathways enabling your brain to respond efficiently and effectively to the world around you.
Because neuroplasticity research encompasses diverse fields such as learning and memory, synaptic physiology, stem cell research, brain injury, psychotherapy, pharmacology, development and ageing, it’ll depend on which neuroscientist you speak to, or whose book you read, how the term will be used.
This is why researchers get all cranky and shout things like, “COME ON, we’ve been talking about the brain’s ability to change for years – that is what learning IS!”, versus non-scientists who might sell books or programs claiming its “….a revolutionary new tool for re-wiring our brains.“.
*This equates to close to a quadrillion connections.
- Animation courtesy of Sentis
Neuroplasticity
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