Neuroplasticity sounds like a very complicated issue. It is defined as the altering of neurons and the organization and reorganization of neural networks. The idea was first introduced by a man named Santiago Ramón y Cajal, a pioneer of the neuron doctrine, and ironically, a man who wouldn’t see his idea commonly accepted until half a century later. That aside, the concept of neuroplasticity is fairly easy to grasp.
Part of understanding this concept is accepting what earlier scientific beliefs suggested. Years ago, doctors stubbornly believed that a mature brain (an adult) never had the capacity for change. Yes, the brain could evolve, or so we thought, but there were strict limitations upon what changes were possible. That suggested to our forefathers of science that people had a limited intelligence, a limited amount of personal fulfillment and a limited level of mental sanity. It seemed logical, since scientists did see evidence that mental decline occurs with age. Furthermore, they observed that the brain was easily damaged by stroke or brain disease. Sounds logical, right?
Then something extraordinary happened—simply put, they observed the brain start to rebuild itself, when necessary. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself into proper and greater function, even after something like brain trauma. Neuroplasticity also suggests to us that because the neurons in the brain have the ability to form new connections, alter wiring that is incorrect and eliminate old wiring, the brain is very capable of change and even of continuous growth.
Scientists are now stating that it’s very possible that an adult brain has the ability to adapt to both external and internal experiences. That means not only could a person recover from brain trauma; but he or she also has the capacity to change what he or she thinks about, what values they cherish and even what hobbies they enjoy.
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