After reading this ,your brain may not be the same

Therefore, one of the major frontiers in the study of human physiology and the question of what makes us who we are is brain research.The field of brain research is advancing rapidly, and I would contend that I have the most fascinating job in the world. The pace of change in our understanding of the brain is amazing. Furthermore, a lot of what we previously believed to be true or complete about the brain turns out to be false. These misunderstandings vary in how evident they are.For instance, we once believed that the brain could not alter after a person reached adulthood.In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, it turns out. Another myth about the brain is that it is silent while you are not doing anything and that only certain areas of it are used at any given moment. And this is also false. It turns out that your brain is incredibly busy even when you're at rest and not thinking about anything.

Thus, it is technological advancements like MRI that have made it possible for us to make these and many other significant discoveries. And arguably the most fascinating, exciting, and revolutionary of these discoveries is that your brain changes every time you learn a new information or ability.

We refer to it as neuroplasticity.So, up until about 25 years ago, we believed that the only changes that occurred in the brain were detrimental: the loss of brain cells with aging, the result of injury, such as a stroke. The adult brain then underwent astounding amounts of remodeling, according to research. Our brains are altered by all of our behaviors, according to the research that followed.It's good to know that these changes are not age-related, isn't it? In actuality, they happen frequently.And most critically, brain rearrangement aids in rehabilitation following brain injury. Neuroplasticity is the key to each of these changes.So how does it appear?

In order to assist learning, your brain might adapt in three very fundamental ways.The first is chemical, then.Thus, the way that your brain truly works is by sending chemical signals between brain cells, or what we refer to as neurons, which in turn causes a chain of events.Your brain can therefore raise the quantity or intensity of the chemical transmission that occurs between neurons to support learning. This helps short-term memory or the short-term improvement in the execution of a motor skill since the change can occur quickly. Altering the brain's structure is the second method it can change to assist learning.Therefore, the connections between neurons in the brain might change as a result of learning.Here, it takes a little longer for the physical makeup of the brain to change.

These kinds of adjustments have a connection to long-term memory and the development of a motor skill over time. Let me give you an illustration of how these processes interact. We've all attempted to pick up a new motor ability, such as playing the piano or juggling. You may have experienced improving steadily throughout a single practice session and declaring, "I have it."Then, perhaps, when you come back the following day, all of the advancements made the day before are gone.What took place? Your brain was able to increase chemical signaling between your neurons in the short term. However, for some reason, such modifications did not result in the structural alterations required to enable long-term memory. Keep in mind that forming long-term memories takes time.

Additionally, what you observe immediately after learning does not reflect learning; rather, it is these physical changes that will now support long-term memories, while chemical changes will support short-term memories. An interconnected network of brain regions that work together to enhance learning can also result from structural alterations. Additionally, they may cause some brain regions to expand or change in structure, which is crucial for certain specific behaviors. Here are some illustrations of that. People who read Braille have larger hand sensory areas in their brain than those of us who don't.Your dominant hand motor region, which is on the left side of your brain, if you are right-handed, is larger than the other side. And research shows the London taxi cab drivers who actually have to memorize a map of London to get their taxi cab license, they have larger brain regions devoted to spatial, or mapping memories.

Your brain can change its function as a final means of supporting learning. A brain area grows easier to utilize and more excitable as you use it. The brain changes how and when these areas are stimulated since it has these regions that make them more excitable. We observe that entire networks of brain activity change and shift as a result of learning. The whole brain is experiencing chemical, structural, and functional changes, which support neuroplasticity. They can happen separately from one another or together, but pairing them up is more common. Together, they promote education. They happen frequently as well. I just said how incredibly neuroplastic your brain is.

Why can't you learn anything you choose to with ease?

Why do our kids sometimes fail in school?

Why as we age do we tend to forget things?

And why don't people fully recover from brain damage?

That is: what is it that limits and facilitates neuroplasticity?

So, this is what I research. I focus my research on how it pertains to stroke recovery.Stroke used to be the third largest cause of mortality in the US, but it has recently slipped to number four.Wonderful news, yes?However, it turns out that the number of stroke cases has not decreased.Simply put, we are more adept at saving lives after a catastrophic stroke.It turns out to be quite challenging to aid in stroke-related brain recovery.And, to be honest, we haven't come up with any efficient rehabilitative interventions.

The end result is that stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in adults worldwide. As a result, stroke victims tend to live longer with their disability and, according to research from my group, their health-related quality of life has declined.Clearly, we need to do a better job of aiding stroke victims in their recovery. This is a significant societal issue that we are not currently resolving. What can be done, then? It is undeniable that behavior is the finest catalyst for neuroplastic change in the brain.

The issue is that learning new and relearning old motor abilities requires a very high dose of behavior and practice. And delivering these heavy doses of practice in an efficient manner is a very challenging and expensive task. My research has therefore focused on creating treatments that prime or ready the brain for learning. These include included robotics, exercise, and brain simulation.

But through my study, I've come to understand that the very individual patterns of neuroplasticity constitute a significant barrier to the creation of medicines that hasten recovery from stroke.Variability used to make me nuts as a researcher.It becomes quite challenging to utilize statistics to test your data and your hypotheses.Medical intervention trials are therefore especially created to reduce variability.But it's becoming abundantly evident from my study that this unpredictability is present in the most significant and instructive data we get.We've discovered a lot by researching the brain after a stroke, and I believe these insights are very useful in other contexts.The first lesson is that there is no neuroplasticity medicine you can take because your behavior is the main factor in brain change.Practice is the single most effective tool for learning, but you still need to put in the effort.In reality, my research has revealed that practicing makes things more tough, or challenging if you like actually promotes more brain structural change and increased learning.The issue here is that neuroplastcity can function in both directions.It might be advantageous because you pick up new information and hone a motor skill.However, it can also be detrimental; for example, you might experience persistent discomfort, forget what you once knew, or develop a drug addiction.

As a result, your brain is incredibly plastic and has been formed by everything you do as well as everything you don't do, both anatomically and functionally.The second thing we've discovered about the brain is that there is no one method of learning that works for everyone.Therefore, there is no secret to learning.Think about the adage that it takes 10,000 practice sessions to develop and perfect a new motor ability.You may rest assured that it's not quite that easy.Some of us will need a lot more practice, while others might need a lot less.Since our plastic brains are shaped differently from one another, no single intervention will be effective for everyone.

This insight has compelled us to think about individualized medication.According to this theory, each individual needs their own intervention in order to maximize results.In fact, the concept was inspired by cancer treatments.And it turns out that genetics have a significant role in matching certain chemotherapy regimens with particular cancer types.

According to my research, recovering from a stroke also falls under this category.There are specific traits associated with brain structure and function that we refer to as biomarkers.Furthermore, these biomarkers are proven to be quite useful in assisting us in matching particular medicines with particular patients.According to data from my group, a combination of biomarkers appears to be the most accurate predictor of neuroplastic change and recovery patterns following stroke.And given how intricate the human brain is, that is not surprising.However, I also believe that we should conceive of this idea far more broadly.All of us can benefit from what we've discovered about neuroplasticity after stroke because each of our brains is different in its structure and function.The actions that you take on a daily basis matter.Your brain is being changed by each of them.

And I think it's important to take into account tailored learning as well as personalized medicine.You will be impacted by the peculiarities of your brain as a learner and a teacher.This concept enables us to comprehend why some children succeed in traditional educational environments while others do not, as well as why some people acquire languages quickly while others excel in whatever sport they choose.Your brain will therefore be different from what it was when you entered this room this morning when you depart.And I consider that to be quite fantastic.But how your brains have changed will vary from person to person.

The next major development in neuroscience will be made possible by an understanding of these variations, unique patterns, variability, and change. We will be able to create new, more effective interventions as well as better match students with teachers and patients with interventions.This applies to all of us, whether we are parents, teachers, managers, or lifelong learners—since you are here at TEDx today—rather than just those recovering from stroke.Consider what and how you learn best.

Repeat the mental exercises that are good for your brain, and stop doing the ones that aren't.

Practice.

Learning involves putting your brain to the task it needs to do.

So, different people will have different best practices.

They will even vary amongst individuals, you know.

Therefore, studying music may come naturally to you whereas learning to snowboard may be considerably more difficult.I wish you will leave today with a fresh understanding of just how amazing your brain is.The environment around you is continually molding you and your malleable Recognise that your brain is changing as a result of everything you do, encounter, and experience.And although that might be for the better, it might equally be for the worse.So, as soon as you leave today, set out to develop the brain you desire.

I sincerely appreciate it.