This article breaks down neuroplasticity while targeting its benefits and how to improve the neuroplasticity in your brain
Neuroplasticity, in essence, is the term that alludes to the brain's ability to adjust, reorganize and alter or change itself to adapt to new circumstances, environments and respond to experiences. To put it simply, neuroplasticity is the phenomenon referring to when the brain makes changes to adapt to different experiences or as a result of experience. The term “plasticity” is defined as, “that quality of being easily shaped or molded” and “neuro” is defined in relation to neurons or nerves in your brain.
Neuroplasticity has two different types. They include functional plasticity and structural plasticity. Functional plasticity is the brain's ability to move from a damaged area to an undamaged area of the brain while structural plasticity is the growing of new neurons, the changing of neurons or the way the brain is able to alter its physical structure in order to result in learning.
Neuroplasticity comes with an immense amount of benefits. It aids in recovering from traumatic brain injury or strokes, enables us to learn new things, augment our cognitive capabilities as well as avert cognitive decline, strengthen our memory and so much more. Fundamentally, neuroplasticity helps our brain recognize itself by forming new neural connections, in order to make those changes and alterations. Remember that neuroplasticity isn't just something that begins and ends, it is an ongoing process. Although it is true that as we age the rate of neuroplasticity in our brains declines or reduces, the process itself never ends.
Increasing your neuroplasticity isn’t a very hard task. Engaging in new activities and learning new things can help. For instance…learn a new language, make some music, travel, exercise, make art, etc. Even playing video games can increase neuroplasticity in your brain! Research has proven that video games actually tend to enhance your cognitive abilities since they help with motor coordination, visual recognition, spatial navigation, memory and reaction time. Thanks to a great amount of research and experiments, we have been able to form theories and conclusions about how our brain works, how it's molded and its abilities. Let's continue to explore the human brain...there's so much that is yet to be discovered :)
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