Our Plastic Brain

I came across this a few years ago when reading about the human brain and its ability to change.  I was surprised to discover our brains are “plastic.”  That threw me for a second because my first thought went to all the plastic in our world and the concern about what it is doing to our planet. 

The word plastic actually means pliable and easily shaped, or modifiable. 

Brain plasticity, which in the scientific world is known as neuroplasticity, is when the neural networks in the brain change through growth and reorganization.  The brain can be rewired to function in a way that is different in how it functioned previously.

And we have the power to change it.

When we learn a new craft or change a bad habit to a better one, we are changing our neural networks.  The longer we do it, our brain will create new neurons and build new networks, grow branches and unending scaffolds. 

The same thing happens when we pay attention to our thought patterns: what we are thinking and why, and then consciously choose what to think and believe.  At the same time, the neural networks we’ve created that are unhealthy or have forged negative networks can create unhealthy brain changes.

Our mind can actually change our brain!

This reminds me of a wonderful woman I know who recently turned eighty.  She said she likes to write and paint and spoke of other interests she has and still wants to pursue.  She shared about the things she was still learning about herself and how she interacts with others, and her desire to become a better version of herself.  I loved hearing her insight, passion and excitement.

No matter where we are in our life, or what age we are, neuroplasticity indicates we can still use our mind to create changes that impact our brain health, and our lives.

How cool is that?