Neuroplasticity – A Brain Way

What do you think is the most awe-striking invention made in the modern era? Is it airplanes and other advanced vehicles like smart cars? Or is it robots, like Sophia (a social humanoid robot)? Whatever it may be, all such wondrous formulations are a product of the human mind and an everlasting proof of its magnificent working. The walnut lookalike organ is what makes it possible for us to sort our way through any problem that we may come across, it wouldn’t be wrong to call the brain a driving force for life.

Researchers and neuroscientists have spent several years of their lives trying to completely understand the complexities behind this organ and yet haven’t entirely uncovered every detail. An example of the brain’s complicatedness is as simple as migraine, although a large population around the world suffers from migraine and it’s accompanied symptoms, but there is little certain reasoning behind why it takes place. It would probably take us the same time to wholly unveil the human brain as it would take for us to have flying cars!

However, don’t get me wrong, there is enough we know about the human brain to be absolutely perplexed by it. One of such things is the ability of our brain to constantly develop and adapt according to its environment. Children grow up from playing with rattles to questioning and developing the value of Pi, all because of one’s mental capacity.

If you’re wondering what this phenomenon, that every human being is a walking talking proof of, is called, let me answer it for you. It is known as neuroplasticity and I’m going to tell you all about it, so sit tight and prepare your brain to learn interesting details about itself!

What Is Neuroplasticity?

The term neuroplasticity is a combination of two words, neuro, and plasticity. Neuro refers to the nervous system consisting of the brain, spinal cord and nerves which perform the task of receiving and sending signals from the brain. Plasticity, on the other hand, comes from a Greek root term meaning flexible/moldable. Therefore, the term altogether means ‘a flexible or moldable brain’. Neuroplasticity may also be referred to as brain plasticity.

When the very first time the term of neuroplasticity was defined by an Italian psychiatrist, it subjectively explained the capability of our brain to grow and learn all while acclimatizing to its surrounding as well. Had this not been the case, you and I probably would still be sitting in a cave scratching stones because no such developments would have been made. But hey, thanks to neuroplasticity! 

While it may easily sound like a term too complicated and something only a neurosurgeon would be aware of, you would be surprised to know that it is an irreplaceable part of your everyday life. To illustrate this concept further, think about the first time you came across an algebraic formula, and it seemed like some incomprehensible dead language. However, over a course of time as you repeatedly practiced its questions and watched several YouTube lectures about the topic, it started to make sense and in a week’s time, it made complete sense to you. As a matter of fact, you probably deemed your understanding of the algebraic formula fit enough to even help your other classmates. This, my friends, is how neuroplasticity works. When you were repeatedly exposed to a particularly accurate stimulus (the math equation) through your practice and study sessions together with the determination to understand that very concept (intensity to change or learn something new), your brain was ‘re-wired’ to fathom the formula. Similarly, you can find trillions of examples from your life of neuroplasticity, not even for the learning or adapting of cognitive patterns but also physical ones.

By making good use of this psychological technique, we can make new connections and increase our overall performance in what we are already working on, for as long as we’re alive. See, it really is never too late!

Research Experiment about Neuroplasticity  

Ivan Pavlov was a well-known psychologist who laid the foundation of several psychology’s principals and theories, classical conditioning and neuroplasticity being one of them. Pavlov conducted an experiment on his dog who was presented with food immediately after the ringing of a particular bell. Although, in the beginning the bell was an unconditioned stimulus, but as soon as it came under Pavlov’s observation, he observed his dog’s behavior further. Ultimately, through conditioning the dog would salivate not only to the sight of his delicious meal, but also to the bell being rung without any hint of the food being near or in sight. This was because the dog had developed strong association between his meals and the ringing of that bell. In conclusion, due to neuroplasticity the dog had now learned this new association. Yet again, had there been no such phenomena, the dog probably wouldn’t give a second thought to the bell.

What moral does this experiment bring to the table? That an old dog can easily learn a new skill, alike human beings, and other mammals, all the credits of which go to neuroplasticity.

Neuroplasticity Is an Ongoing Process…Or Is It?

I know, it is never too late to start learning anything that you’re passionate about and trust me when I say, your brain supports you a solid 100%. Nonetheless, unfortunately, brain plasticity isn’t a magic wand that will fix everything with a ‘bibbidi-bobbidi-bo’…

Serious brain damage can, at times, make it impossible for a patient to entirely recover and for their brain to ‘rewire’. For example, damage to the part of one’s brain that controls movement and speech, might be a hard nut to crack through neuroplasticity.

Not too differently, certain skillsets can only be learned within certain years of growth and development, such as the ability to talk, which can only be learned until the age of 18 at latest. Afterwards, it may likely be next to impossible to learn the ability to speak. Yes, you can enhance your vocabulary or learn a completely new foreign language through the natural process of neuroplasticity, but that is if you have the basic skill of talking.

Types of Neuroplasticity

There has been plenty of research on the topic of brain plasticity and as a result of this analysis, two contrasting but definitive types have been identified that modify our learning process. Having said that, neuroscientists are continuously working on recognizing more patterns of neuroplasticity, owing up to which reason, researchers are trying to put their finger on more branches. However, we are going to exhaustively discuss the two main types of brain plasticity.

Functional Plasticity

Functional plasticity is considered to be the branch of brain plasticity that can be used in the field of medical science to better the lifestyle of those who have been through a traumatic experience. It is true that it may be difficult for someone to regain complete control on their body after an accident, but most of it surely can be recovered. Allow me to explain!

Alike the working of all other organs inside our body, various parts of brain are allotted different tasks as well, for example cerebrum being the largest parts of the brain carries out numerous functions along with interpreting touch. If due to an unfortunate mishappening, one part of the brain is damaged and is unable to perform its duties properly, functions of that part of the brain will be moved to the unaffected areas. This entire internal procedure is made possible by the one and only, functional plasticity. Although it may take time and practice (the right exercises etc.), functional plasticity is said to be at it’s most laborious during the immediate period after an injury.

The approach and pathways of functional plasticity are under observation and are being explored, but research studies have informed that this idealistic phenomenon takes place with the help of neural pathways. These existing pathways are either inert or perform other purposes and have the capacity to squeeze in some more duties. Consequently, they start executing the tasks of the affected part and voila!

And if all that wasn’t enough for you to believe in human brain supremacy, wait till you find out the particular ways in which functional brain plasticity takes place.

There are three prime subbranches (listed below) of functional neuroplasticity that work in accordance with the needs of a patient.

1. Homologous Area Adaptation.

The brain is divided into two halves (hemispheres), each of them respectively performing their due activities. The problem arises when one of these two halves loses its control. In order to keep the person from not living a life of mental and physical disability, the active part of the hemisphere decides to get into action. On this opposite hemisphere, the previously lost brain activity comes back to life.

Having put that out there, it is also essential to know that this adaption does not lead to perfect working as preexisting functionality is displaced and so, two simultaneous functions may both be compromised at times.

2. Cross Modal Reassignment

This modal is largely associated to our five basic senses and other sensory information. Cross Modal Reassignment allows for a compartment of the brain, that was being used for the interpretation of a sense, to be used for another differing sense. You may often have heard that those who are blind have a better sense of smell than the rest of us, this is because a previously booked brain region is now remodeled. This blissful ability of the brain has undoubtedly made the lives of many sensorily disabled people trouble free.

3. Compensatory Masquerade

To put it simply, this is a strategy switching technique. Yes, your brain is in fact as clever as that movie about a woman using a 100% of her brain made it out to be! As long as it suits your mental wellbeing, your brain will most likely make it happen.

In compensatory masquerade your brain pushes a component of your brain to take up the road less travelled and do something it wouldn’t in an ordinary circumstance. Don’t worry, we’re not referring to anything sinister…or are we?

All of this may seem like a piece of cake, but the reality is quite contradicting to popular belief. Compensatory masquerade requires for neurons to rearrange themselves, new connections to be formed and kept intact with more than usual effort.

Structural Plasticity

This is the second major type of ‘brain rewiring’. As the name suggests, structural plasticity involves changing the structure as well as functions of one’s brain through learning. I know just what you’re thinking, that sounds like a scene from a sci-fi movie, and indeed it does, but that doesn’t make it any less real!

With the maturation of each neuron (during the growth period of an infant), the number of synaptic connections (way of communication between neurons) increase. As a child grows up and exists infancy stages, there are countless synapses in his brain. Thereafter, repetitive stronger synaptic connections stay intact while the others are naturally forgotten and deleted. In neurological terms, the strength of these connections depends on the number of times a cell ‘fires’ before another does.

Neuroscientists have discovered that structural plasticity has a hand to play in helping us learn basic life skills as a child.

Can Brain Plasticity Be Improved?

Of course, it can! This brainy fellow will never fail to impress you. In fact, you should try to maximize the potential of your mind and put it to favorable use. I suppose, this is exactly what the phrase ‘a little change is always good’ refers to.

A few ways by which you can increase your neuroplasticity are mentioned as follows.

• Exercise
• Solve puzzles
• Take up a challenging activity
• Learn new vocabulary
• Keep yourself well rested
• Include brain foods in your diet

I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it! Don’t forget to share it with your fellows and peers who may benefit from it as well.