Brain Plasticity

During the growth and development of the brain, the physical structures and neural pathways of the brain can change dramatically. Various regions of the brain may grow, new synapses may be created, or unused synapses may be pruned off. The ability of the brain to change and adapt has been called plasticity. In the TED talk “The Growing Evidence of Brain Plasticity”, Dr. Michael Merzenich makes a case for brain plasticity and proposes ways this ability can be used to help various mental disorders. In order to fully appreciate Merzenich’s talk, it would be helpful to know a little bit about the nervous system, especially synaptic connections. In the example of plasticity in monkeys, Merzenich discusses the change of cortical areas when a monkey
The first period, dubbed the Critical Period, occurs in the first year or so of life. This is the point in time where the brain takes in massive amounts of stimulus and starts to set itself up for more advanced processing later in life. Before a child can learn language, they need to learn sound, and before a child can walk, they need to learn the feeling of the floor underneath them. During the critical period, tremendous amounts of new synapses and growth must be done to create the correct connections and shortcut for more specific learning and skill development to happen once the child grown a little more. The other period of time that Merzenich mentioned extends throughout the rest of our lives. Brain plasticity is not just reserved for a growing child or adolescent. Mastering any new skill or even just experiencing or learning new things anytime in life can change the brain physically. For example, when learning a new skill, new synapses can be built in the appropriate part of the brain or body for you to remember and perform the skill better and faster. The ability and memory of the brain are practically boundless if the brain can refine its neurons, synapses, and pathways
He noted in his talk that we all basically start out with the same brain, but the differences in our environment and experiences shape that brain to be unique. We are constantly receiving stimuli and the way we receive, interpret, think, and react to that stimuli changes who we are and how we will interact with other stimuli later. The brain is intended to select and specialize in the most appropriate and effective way to handle your unique environment. And plasticity allows you to constantly adapt as your situations and environments change. Overall I think the concept of brain plasticity is a wonderfully useful concept and is something to keep an eye on. In an advanced society where we are trying to optimize cognition and keep the brain in working order for as long as possible, it would be beneficial to understand the connection between our biology, our psychology, and the how they affect each other. As Merzenich mentioned at the end of his talk, if they physical part of our brain is so important to our overall well-being and healthy psyche, we need to start exercising that part of our body and using its plasticity to change it for the