Can we influence neuroplasticity?
“Can the mind reshape brain matter?”
“Can the mind shape the brain?”
The answer to this question lies somewhere in understanding how neuroplasticity works (If you’re not familiar with the concept, you can first read our introductory article on neuroplasticity: ‘What is neuroplasticity and why is it important for mental health’).
A growth mindset and neuroplasticity
There is an important connection between “growth mindset” and neuroplasticity: A growth mindset is a mindset whereby a person’s innate skills, talents and abilities can be developed and/or enhanced with determinationwhile neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to adapt and develop beyond the usual period of childhood development. These two concepts reflect each other.
Neuroplasticity in children
Children’s brains are constantly growing, developing and changing. Each new experience demands a change in brain structure and function.
At birth, each neuron in an infant’s brain has about 7,500 connections to other neurons; by age 2, neurons have more than double the number of connections in an adult brain (Mundkur, 2005). These connections are slowly disrupted as the child grows and begins to form their own unique patterns and connections.
There are four main types of neuroplasticity observed in children:
- Adaptive: changes that occur when children practice a particular skill and allow the brain to adapt to functional or structural changes in the brain (such as injury);
- Deteriorated: changes occur due to genetic or acquired disorders;
- Excessive: reorganization of new, maladaptive pathways that may cause disability or impairment;
- Plasticity that makes the brain vulnerable to injury: damaging neural pathways are formed that make injury more likely or more impactful (Mundkur, 2005).
These processes are stronger and more pronounced in young children, allowing them to recover from injuries more efficiently than most adults. In children, profound cases of neuroplastic growth, recovery and adaptation can be observed.
Neuroplasticity in adults
This ability of the brain to adapt is not absent in adults, but is generally less noticeable than in children; however, the adult brain is still capable of extraordinary changes:
- Can restore old, lost connections and functions that have not been used over time
- Improves memory
- Improves general cognitive skills.
The potential is generally not as great in older adults as it is in children and young adults, but with sustained effort and a healthy lifestyle, adults are just as capable of promoting positive change and brain growth as younger generations.
Neuroplasticity research and studies
1. Enriched environments (saturated with novelty, focused attention and challenge) are essential for promoting neuroplasticity and can cause positive growth and adaptation long after the ‘critical learning period’ of early childhood and adulthood has ended (Kempermann et al., 2002);
2. Physical activity and fitness can prevent or slow age-related neuronal death and hippocampal damage and even increase hippocampal volume (Niemann et al., 2014);
3. Intermittent fasting can promote adaptive responses at neuronal synapses (Vasconcelos et al., 2014);
4. Chronic insomnia is associated with atrophy (neuronal death and damage) in the hippocampus, whereas adequate sleep can enhance neurogenesis (Joo et al., 2014).
7 BENEFITS of Neuroplasticity on the brain
There are many ways in which neuroplasticity benefits the brain:
2.Recovery from traumatic brain injury;
3. The possibility of redirecting functions in the brain (e.g. if an area that controls one direction is damaged, other areas may develop to replace the damaged area);
5.Improved memory skills;
6. A wide range of improved cognitive skills;
7.More effective learning.
How to reward your brain with neuroplasticity
Some of the methods that have been shown to improve or stimulate neuroplasticity include:
1. Intermittent fasting:
Increases the ability of neurons to connect, promotes neuronal growth, improves overall cognitive function and decreases the risk of neurodegenerative disease;
2. Travel:
Travelling exposes the brain to new stimuli and new environments, opening up new pathways and activities in the brain;
3. Use of mnemonic formulas:
Memory training can increase connectivity in the prefrontal parietal neural network and prevent age-related memory loss;
4. Learning a musical instrument:
It can increase connectivity between brain regions and help new neural networks form;
5. Non-dominant hand exercises:
They can form new neural pathways and strengthen connectivity between neurons;
6. Reading fiction:
Increases and improves connectivity in the brain;
7. Vocabulary expansion:
Activates visual and auditory processes, as well as memory processing;
8. Creating artworks:
Improves resting brain connectivity which can boost introspection, memory, empathy, attention and concentration;
9. Dance:
Reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s and increases neuronal connectivity;
10. Sleep:
It supports learning retention by increasing dendritic neuronal endings that make the connection between neurons and help transfer information between neuronal cells (Nguyen, 2016).
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