Brain Plasticity Or Neuroplasticity
It was not so many years ago that scientists believed that the brain did change after childhood.They thought that only young brains were able to form new neural connections. Through this logic, scienctists also believed that if a section of an adult brain was damaged that the damage was unreversible. They thought that new connections could not be created and the brain could not compensate for damage.
Through advances in neuroscience, these old beliefs have been put to rest. We now understand the brain is able to create new neural connections throughout life. Brain plasticity, or neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize neural paths based upon new experiences. It describes the lasting change to the brain throughout life.
Neuroplasticity
is beneficial to development because it allows the brain to change with new information learned. Neuroplasticity can be applied to many different aspects of development from young children to adulthood. If a young child is learning colors, plasticity helps to organize that information. The neural connections about the different colors is strengthened. Through the new, strong connections a child is no longer searching for answers. They have gained knowledge. They know the difference between red and green without having to elliminate other colors.
If an adult has a cigarette every time they begin driving, they have developed a neural connection between driving and nicotine. When they attempt to quit smoking they might decide to chew gum when they get into their car. After time progresses, the connection that was once between driving and smoking, weakens. A new connection has been made, and the brain adapts.
One of the main differences between neuroplasticity and synaptic pruning is timing. Synaptic pruning is the gradual reduction of the number of synapses in the brain. A synapse is a junction that allows nerve cells to pass impulses or messages to one another. Synaptic pruning begins in infancy and continues into early adolescence. It is through this process that unnecessary connections between neurons are weeded out and killed off. The pruning depends on the amount of neural activity. The synapses that are deemed most active are kept, but those that are not are terminated.
Synaptic pruning is benefical to development because it increases the efficency of transmitting information.
Through advances in neuroscience, these old beliefs have been put to rest. We now understand the brain is able to create new neural connections throughout life. Brain plasticity, or neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize neural paths based upon new experiences. It describes the lasting change to the brain throughout life.
Neuroplasticity
is beneficial to development because it allows the brain to change with new information learned. Neuroplasticity can be applied to many different aspects of development from young children to adulthood. If a young child is learning colors, plasticity helps to organize that information. The neural connections about the different colors is strengthened. Through the new, strong connections a child is no longer searching for answers. They have gained knowledge. They know the difference between red and green without having to elliminate other colors.
If an adult has a cigarette every time they begin driving, they have developed a neural connection between driving and nicotine. When they attempt to quit smoking they might decide to chew gum when they get into their car. After time progresses, the connection that was once between driving and smoking, weakens. A new connection has been made, and the brain adapts.
One of the main differences between neuroplasticity and synaptic pruning is timing. Synaptic pruning is the gradual reduction of the number of synapses in the brain. A synapse is a junction that allows nerve cells to pass impulses or messages to one another. Synaptic pruning begins in infancy and continues into early adolescence. It is through this process that unnecessary connections between neurons are weeded out and killed off. The pruning depends on the amount of neural activity. The synapses that are deemed most active are kept, but those that are not are terminated.
Synaptic pruning is benefical to development because it increases the efficency of transmitting information.