What is Neuroplasticity?
What is Neuroplasticity |How can you switch on your brain's plasticity |How can you change your brain |How can you make your brain healthy
The brain's ability to change itself and form new connections and pathways and change its neural pathways is known as neuroplasticity. A brain system is made of many neuronal pathways or neurons that are connected and working together. If certain key pathways are blocked, then the brain uses older pathways to go around them. These secondary neural pathways are unmasked or exposed and with use, strengthened. This unmasking is generally thought to be one of the main ways the plastic brain reorganizes itself.
Three ways you can enhance your neuroplasticity:
1.) Neurogenesis- It is the process of making new neurons or brain cells. Adults also benefit from the creation of new brain cells. Neurogenesis occurs mainly in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, the brain region that is centrally important for learning and memory.Exercise helps in neurogenesis. About one- third of the neurons in the adult hippocampus are replaced in a person's lifetime.
2.) Hebb's Rule- Neurons that fire together, wire together. It's based on what is known as Hebb's rule and postulates that neurons that communicate with each other electrochemically create a bond or path. When neurons connect repeatedly, that path gets stronger, creating a bigger easier road to travel. Learning and repetition leads to forming strong neural connections.
3.) Myelin Sheaths- Not only can you make more neurons and connect more of them in an enormous number of combinations, but evidence also suggests you can improve how well the connections work. This can happen with the addition of more myelin, a fatty sheath that surrounds different parts of certain neurons. It is also called the white matter of the brain and thought to improve the functions of the neurons.
More neurons. More connections. Better connections. With these three things, you exponentially increase the possibilities to transform your life. The good news is you can turn your neuroplasticity switch on at any time.
You can use the following daily activities to turn on your neuroplasticity switch at any age-
1.) Use your non-dominant hand- Try to do more with the non-dominant hand. e.g typing a message, or picking up things, brushing your teeth, etc, start with small daily activities using your non-dominant hand. for. eg. if you are right-handed since your birth tries to pick up things using the left hand, throwing the ball, typing messages, etc. This will force the movement areas of our cerebral cortex to recruit idle neurons to the task. Learning to play a musical instrument is a great way to engage both hands individually and correctly.
2.) Acquire a new language- Learning a new language, even if you don't end up mastering it, is an excellent way to exercise the neuroplasticity of your left temporal lobe. Our ability to communicate arises from the function of a vaguely delineated region and the more you acquire it, the more cognitive reserve you will have to access as you age.
3.) Don't press Route on your phone's map- The main area for memory in the brain, the hippocampus, is your brain's GPS. In fact, there are unique neurons(called grid cells) for navigating your way through the city or a subway. Tellingly, grid cells are part of neuronal tissue that is lost in Alzheimer's leading to disorientation in severe cases. So, using your internal compass rather than immediately pressing route on google maps is a great way to develop valuable spatial orientation skills.
4.) Focus- Focus on your visions, goals, and needed actions. From professional violin players to Tibetan monks, those who diligently focus their attention on specific tasks show meaningful and measurable changes in their brains. Research shows that mindfulness and meditation in particular increase your ability to focus and remain optimistic. Mindful focusing is also linked to decreased activity in the fear of an anxiety-based circuitry of the brain. By strengthening your focus muscle through learning to gradually increase your ability to narrow and sustain your attention, your neuroplasticity mechanisms can be trained to stay in the on position as your new normal.
5.) Exercise- In general what's good for your body is good for your brain. Exercise feeds the brain. when our exercise, particularly aerobically, you increase blood and oxygen flow and that means more support for the brain to work its magic. Exercise helps the brain create more connections by increasing neural growth factors. Exercise reduces stress and depression and that can lead to more healthy brain cell growth.
6.) Stepping out of comfort zone- Stepping out of your comfort zone is similar to exploring novelties in that it exposes you to learn when done deliberately though, you can stretch your mind even more.
To conclude the more you use your brain, the more active it becomes. Gentle aerobic exercise, such as rapid walking, regular sleep, a good diet, learning new activities and skills, reading, and mental exercises help to delay age-related mental decline and protect against age-related problems such as memory loss. Sitting idle, watching tv, surfing social media, gossiping will not make your brain young. It, in fact, decreases your attention span, increases stress and restlessness. So, the choice is yours if you want to choose activities that make your brain healthy or unhealthy. Choose wisely.
The brain's ability to change itself and form new connections and pathways and change its neural pathways is known as neuroplasticity. A brain system is made of many neuronal pathways or neurons that are connected and working together. If certain key pathways are blocked, then the brain uses older pathways to go around them. These secondary neural pathways are unmasked or exposed and with use, strengthened. This unmasking is generally thought to be one of the main ways the plastic brain reorganizes itself.
Three ways you can enhance your neuroplasticity:
1.) Neurogenesis- It is the process of making new neurons or brain cells. Adults also benefit from the creation of new brain cells. Neurogenesis occurs mainly in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, the brain region that is centrally important for learning and memory.Exercise helps in neurogenesis. About one- third of the neurons in the adult hippocampus are replaced in a person's lifetime.
2.) Hebb's Rule- Neurons that fire together, wire together. It's based on what is known as Hebb's rule and postulates that neurons that communicate with each other electrochemically create a bond or path. When neurons connect repeatedly, that path gets stronger, creating a bigger easier road to travel. Learning and repetition leads to forming strong neural connections.
3.) Myelin Sheaths- Not only can you make more neurons and connect more of them in an enormous number of combinations, but evidence also suggests you can improve how well the connections work. This can happen with the addition of more myelin, a fatty sheath that surrounds different parts of certain neurons. It is also called the white matter of the brain and thought to improve the functions of the neurons.
More neurons. More connections. Better connections. With these three things, you exponentially increase the possibilities to transform your life. The good news is you can turn your neuroplasticity switch on at any time.
You can use the following daily activities to turn on your neuroplasticity switch at any age-
1.) Use your non-dominant hand- Try to do more with the non-dominant hand. e.g typing a message, or picking up things, brushing your teeth, etc, start with small daily activities using your non-dominant hand. for. eg. if you are right-handed since your birth tries to pick up things using the left hand, throwing the ball, typing messages, etc. This will force the movement areas of our cerebral cortex to recruit idle neurons to the task. Learning to play a musical instrument is a great way to engage both hands individually and correctly.
2.) Acquire a new language- Learning a new language, even if you don't end up mastering it, is an excellent way to exercise the neuroplasticity of your left temporal lobe. Our ability to communicate arises from the function of a vaguely delineated region and the more you acquire it, the more cognitive reserve you will have to access as you age.
3.) Don't press Route on your phone's map- The main area for memory in the brain, the hippocampus, is your brain's GPS. In fact, there are unique neurons(called grid cells) for navigating your way through the city or a subway. Tellingly, grid cells are part of neuronal tissue that is lost in Alzheimer's leading to disorientation in severe cases. So, using your internal compass rather than immediately pressing route on google maps is a great way to develop valuable spatial orientation skills.
4.) Focus- Focus on your visions, goals, and needed actions. From professional violin players to Tibetan monks, those who diligently focus their attention on specific tasks show meaningful and measurable changes in their brains. Research shows that mindfulness and meditation in particular increase your ability to focus and remain optimistic. Mindful focusing is also linked to decreased activity in the fear of an anxiety-based circuitry of the brain. By strengthening your focus muscle through learning to gradually increase your ability to narrow and sustain your attention, your neuroplasticity mechanisms can be trained to stay in the on position as your new normal.
5.) Exercise- In general what's good for your body is good for your brain. Exercise feeds the brain. when our exercise, particularly aerobically, you increase blood and oxygen flow and that means more support for the brain to work its magic. Exercise helps the brain create more connections by increasing neural growth factors. Exercise reduces stress and depression and that can lead to more healthy brain cell growth.
6.) Stepping out of comfort zone- Stepping out of your comfort zone is similar to exploring novelties in that it exposes you to learn when done deliberately though, you can stretch your mind even more.
To conclude the more you use your brain, the more active it becomes. Gentle aerobic exercise, such as rapid walking, regular sleep, a good diet, learning new activities and skills, reading, and mental exercises help to delay age-related mental decline and protect against age-related problems such as memory loss. Sitting idle, watching tv, surfing social media, gossiping will not make your brain young. It, in fact, decreases your attention span, increases stress and restlessness. So, the choice is yours if you want to choose activities that make your brain healthy or unhealthy. Choose wisely.
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