Max Serfaty Teacher for a day Neuroplasticity: The Brain That Changes ItselfBy Norman Doidge
The Basics of the Brain 15-33 Billion neurons Control Center (Telephone) Modern Part (Thought, etc) Ancient Part (Reflexes, subconscious) Always changing
What is neuroplasticity? “The property of the brain that allows it to change it’s structure and function in response to the environment.” Exists at all levels of the brain (in cells, genes, behavior) Think of clay!
*Blindness *Love *Depression *surgery *Sexuality *Environment Examples of neuroplasticity
Our brains are always changing and creating new paths. Neuroplasticity happens every day, and can be extreme, or minute So what is it?
Use it or lose it! The brain can be reconstructed all the time. We need to excercise the skill, or we lose it Same with the body Science has impeded our understanding, mechanistic
History Neuroplasticity is fairly recent, denied many times Leading researcher: Paul Bach-y-Rita
CherySholtz Barbara Aerosmith Lost her sense of balance, a wobbler Perpetually falling Regained her balance by simple machines and training Many learning difficulties Inspired by papers, and rat experiments Learned to train her brain, instead of giving up Case studies
Reverse Neuroplasticity Inactivity in a part of a brain, invaded by another, more active section Compensation, equality
We need to train our brain everyday! We take this skill for granted Shorter attention spans, think of it!! In summary...