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Date Posted: 13:18:56 02/07/07 Wed
Author: Fawziya Rafael
Subject: Brain Plasticity-Chapter 3

It was very interesting to read the section on brain plasticity in chapter 3. Throughout my education, I have frequently heard about how the brain of young children has the ability to repair itself after brain injury, by one hemisphere taking over the functions of the other hemisphere in order to compensate for damaged areas. However, I was under the impression that this plasticity is reserved for the brains of young children. I was amazed to learn that brain plasticity actually continues up to the late adulthood years. Even though the brain it less “plastic” during these years when compared to the early childhood years, it is still amazing that the brain retains this ability to repair itself throughout the majority of an individual’s life! Very Cool!

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[> Re: Brain Plasticity-Chapter 3 -- Christine Beckwith, 18:29:33 02/07/07 Wed

As a psychology major in college, I always found parts of neuroscience fascinating. The fact that their is so much plasticity in the brain proves that we really "use it or lose it." Our somatosensory cortex in the middle of the brain literally remaps itself when we practice using certain parts of our body, and when we don't use certain parts of the body. I used this fact at the beginning of the year when I taught the concept of malleable intelligence, which is just the idea that you get smarter through hard work, and are not born with a fixed intelligence. It can be a powerful motivator for teens with low self-esteem who have always identified as "dumb."


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[> Re: Brain Plasticity-Chapter 3 -- Emily Clark, 19:19:14 02/07/07 Wed

I agree! Very interesting research! As a foreign language teacher, this is especially relevant. People always say that you should learn a language as a child because that's when the brain is receptive to it. However, while the brain may be most receptive to it during this time, the brain continues to have the capacity to learn a new language into the teenage years and beyond. I myself didn't even start learning spanish until I was 14. This is a point I try to reemphasize to my students. Since the brain is still growing a great deal during the teenage years (especially in the prefrontal cortex and with regards to decision making), it seems like this period is such an important time to not only continue teaching young people academic content, but also to guide them to learn to make reasoned decisions as well. Most interestingly, the brain continues making new connections and learning for the entire life span of the individual (something that as grad students we have to believe because we are no longer teenagers or children, but are still learning as well!) The brain is truly amazing!


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