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New Brain Plasticity Theory to Create a Population of Life-Long Learners
By Richard Nantel | May 5, 2007
I don’t know about you, but I’m VERY excited about the new theory of adult brain plasticity. Until recently, scientists viewed the adult brain as being hard-wired into areas responsible for different tasks. Injure an area of the brain, and the ability to do something was lost. Even more depressing, every day we age, our mental abilities diminish.
More and more scientists are now dismissing this tired model of the brain in favor of a theory of brain plasticity. Also known as neuroplasticity, brain plasticity suggests that the brain is a much more adaptable organ than we ever thought. Injure an area of the brain, and another area can be encouraged to take over its functions.
In retrospect, this should not be a big surprise. The human body is incredibly adaptable. Force a couch potato to run for 30 minutes, and he’ll suffer terribly. Make him run for 30 minutes each day for a month, and it will then seem to him quite effortless. Travel to a new time zone, and your body will quickly adapt to a new schedule. Lift a heavy weight for a few weeks, and it will feel considerably lighter over time.
One of the most encouraging findings in brain plasticity research is that new neural connections and structures develop by learning new skills. When it comes to aging, the brain, like just about every other component of the human body, is a “use-it-or-lose-it” organ.
According to a recent CBC radio interview (MP3 version) with Dr. Norman Doidge, author of “The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science,” we should be focusing on immersing ourselves into new hobbies or activities every couple of years. [Thanks to Stephen Downes for having provided the links to the radio interview.] Just as our muscles adapt to lifting a heavy load over the span of a few weeks, continuing to do the same brain-taxing activities over a long period of time has diminishing returns when it comes to brain health.
Many adults spend hours each week sweating at the gym, running on treadmills, cycling country roads, and stretching in yoga studios to keep their bodies in shape. As more people learn of brain plasticity and the positive effects of learning on maintaining mental health into old age, we can expect to see people embracing learning as passionately as they have embraced physical fitness.
It’s one thing to learn out of curiosity. It’s something else altogether to learn new skills because your mental health depends on it.
Topics: Brain, Brain plasticity, Learning, Neuroplasticity |
May 10th, 2007 at 8:16 am
[...] book about the physiological changes to even the adult brain as it adapts to changed circumstance. It [...]
May 13th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
[...] Link to New Brain Plasticity Theory to Create a Population of Life-Long Learners | Richard Nantel [...]
July 8th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Let’s see if I have this straight. I enroll back in college and take several cerebral classes and my brain will function better and my deficit from stroke will diminish over time?
September 25th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Interesting topic. I think anyone that interacts with a senior “that’s with it” finds their mental fitness regimen includes a daily dose of an activity that requires some thinking.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:43 am
Nice!
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December 9th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
I have been a teacher of students with learning disabilities for a number of years. The theory of brain plasticity leads me to believe that we are on the verge of great discoveries about children’s learning. It also provides wonderful hope for people with LD
February 29th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
There’s an amazing online resource fully devoted to brain plasticity research & action.
check out
http://www.sharpbrains.com
July 31st, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Hello, Richard.
And it’s getting ever more exciting.
Earlier this year an academic study proved that carefully tailored brain training can increase general intelligence. Susanne Jaeggi and Martin Buschkuehl’s study on Improving Fluid Intelligence by Training Working Memory (PNAS April 2008) recorded increases in mental agility (fluid intelligence) of more than 40% with less than 20 days of focused brain training.
I was so impressed that I contacted the research team and developed a software program using the same method. I’ve been using the training myself, of course, and the results are far from subtle. I can now tackle, and complete!, the Saturday crossword puzzle, for instance, when before I used to get stuck on Thursday.
IQ Training Program
Martin Walker
mind evolve, llc
http://www.mindevolvesoftware.com