Our brain is a fascinating organ. It helps you survive but apart from that it also serves as a friend as well as a foe depending on the way we make use of it. Some people no matter what the situation is, they try and find a solution to every problem that they face but on the other hand, some people somehow manage to find problems for every solution in hand. Some people adapt very quickly to any kind of environment they are thrown into while others find it extremely difficult and discomforting to do so. Well the good news is that this can be changed. Ever heard of a term called neuroplasticity? In this article we will discover more about it.
Image Source: https://riviamind.com/understanding-neuroplasticity/
WHAT IS NEUROPLASTICITY?
The brains ability to adapt and rewire itself so as to survive in an ever changing environment. The brain needs Neuroplasticity occurs as we grow, heal from damage, learning and forming new memories just like what we do now. Neuroplasticity is a constant process. There exist 2 types of neuroplasticity. Structural and functional.
Structural neuroplasticity: Structural reshaping or rewiring happens as we are introduced to new experiences and learning. Creating new neuronal circuits. Physically the structure of the brain changes.
Functional neuroplasticity: This happens because of some trauma or damage to the brain such as stroke. Neurons from the unharmed area of the brain shifts to the damaged part and carry out the damaged parts function. Axonal sprouting is a process through which this neuroplasticity occurs. Axons of the undamaged neurons can sprout new nerve endings to reconnect with neurons whose links were cut via damage or they can connect with undamaged neurons to from a new neuronal pathway so as to serve the lost function of the damaged part.
A WOMAN IN CHINA
A neuroscientist has explained a case about a woman in China with complaints of nausea and having vertigo. Upon doing a CAT scan it revealed that the woman’s brain was missing cerebellum! It shook them because they wondered how is this even possible that this lady came to hospital without a cerebellum!? Function of the cerebellum is balance, coordinated movements, have control over some aspects of speech and also contains 50% of your brain cells. Can you at least imagine how would one function normally with a part of the brain missing? Even though she had mild mental impairment and imbalance, she managed to marry, have children and lead a normal life. This left them thinking that how is it possible that the brain can compensate this? This is where neuroplasticity takes over.
Normal brain MRI
CAT scan of the brain of the woman in the case.
Image source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22329861-900-woman-of-24-found-to-have-no-cerebellum-in-her-brain/
HOW DOES NEUROPLASTICITY WORK?
Our brains function electrochemically on its most basic level. This means that our brain produces 20-25 watts of electricity and these impulses are transmitted from one cell to another. This transmission happens with the release of some chemicals, the neurotransmitters. Electrically speaking, your energy influences the ones around you and vice-versa. Now, chemically speaking, there are chemicals that helps brain transmit messages from one brain cell to another and also there are inhibiting chemicals that block transmission between cells. Our thoughts and emotions impact the chemicals that regulate our mind.
We can change whatever we want by rewiring ourselves by sufficiently spending time with reinforcement and intensity to replace the old negative behaviour patterns with new constructive alternatives. The neuroscientist also shared that we must be careful of what we are labelling ourselves with. The woman in China that we spoke about a bit earlier never experienced a label of being disabled. They didn’t know that she was missing her cerebellum. She started talking at 6 years old and walking at 7 years old which is late. Did you know where the magic happened? Not being constantly told or labelled as disabled. None was there to instil such thoughts into that little brain of hers which eventually led her to lead a fairly normal life.
This gives away a strong message that we must be very cautious of the labels we put out for others as well as for ourselves even as a joke. Something funny to us may be life to them. Something we neglect and make fun of might be the only hope for them to move on. Destroying that might be the last thing we want to do.
A SIMPLE LOGIC
Speaking of a single neuron, upon receiving a continuous stimulus (an emotion, behaviour, exercise, an experience), meaning the repetition of the stimulus cause a phenomena known as neurogenesis (creation of new neurons) and also the neurons within the brain creates new circuits. A common phrase is used which goes like neurons that fire together, wire together. The nerve cells or a particular circuit that we don’t use, we will start losing connections. This is called as synaptic pruning. A simple example to both these are one, becoming really good at something just by practising it every day. Two is losing a skill by not training on it for a period of time.
HOW DO I CHANGE MY BRAIN?
- Assess all the habits that you would like to change and the practices that are bad for your brain.
- Make a conscious choice to reinforce the new behaviour much more than the old one.
- Focus on the solution rather than the problem.
- It is not easy it needs continuous hard work and reinforcement to build those pathways. Envision your solutions.
- Just do it. Doing it is like sealing the deal in the brains deepest part called the limbic system.
Thoughts leads to emotions. Emotions leads to behaviour and behaviour leads to performance. Want to lead a healthy happy life start from the very first. Think good, life more precisely brain will do you good.
Written by Gayathri Gopinadh