In recent years, there have been new breakthroughs in the scientific arena when it comes to brain plasticity. It was a general consensus that as you age, your brain would also age with you. This is not a surprise if you take into account that reduced cognitive skills as well as other ailments that pertain to memory loss are linked with aging. However, there is now scientific validation to prove that brain plasticity is not something that is only viable in our youth.

Brain plasticity refers to the ability of the brain to undergo changes at will. Previously it was believed that brain plasticity was only reserved to childhood all the way into young adulthood. These changes in the brain include a large variety of transformations such as the development of new brain cells, the formation of new connections as well as the decline in the validity of other aspects of the brain. It has now been scientifically validated that each time our brain has to take on an unfamiliar task, it learns from the said task and ultimately new connections are formed in the brain. Thus the process of brain plasticity is not limited to any set period of time but is instead ongoing throughout our lives.

It has now been scientifically validated that brain plasticity can be linked to healthy aging. By engaging in brain training, elderly individuals can ensure that they are keeping their brains vibrant by constantly forming new connections. This is a medical breakthrough as brain plasticity can now be applied to patients who are afflicted with Alzheimer’s. By exposing them to the appropriate brain training, individuals can be prevented from succumbing to Alzheimer’s through the use of brain plasticity. The bottom line of this thinking is that just as some areas of the brain will die off due to not being used, so will other areas flourish due to constant brain training.

One thing to keep in mind though is that brain plasticity cannot cure Alzheimer’s. There still is no cure for this disease that affects individuals’ cognitive skills. However, one can employ brain training to ensure that the yet undamaged areas of the Alzheimer’s patient’s brain remain undamaged. In addition to this, brain training can be used in the development of alternate pathways in the brain which in turn can compensate for the areas that have unfortunately been damaged. There are a number of therapies that have been scientifically validated to aid patients of Alzheimer’s recover some of their cognitive skills or general cognition.

Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to brain plasticity is that one would reap better results if they couple the brain training with an array of new and challenging hobbies. Engaging in these new experiences is a form of nourishment for the brain. In addition to this, it speeds up the process of brain plasticity as the mind would have to keep up by creating new brain cells and pathways so as to fully appreciate these new explorations.



Nathanael Eisenberg is the author of this article on Brain Plasticity. Find more information On Focus here.