This topic got my undivided attention because i absolutely love playing my guitar! i remember picking one up for the first time and not knowing what the heck i was doing was extremely frustrating. My fingers would be in terrible pain and they didn't respond quickly as i would've wanted them to. My instructor would tell me practice, practice, practice! I mean suuuureee he knew how to play it but i didn't comprehend the meaning of his "wise" words until i actually put it into action! Little by little i noticed i was able to move my finger a little quicker and actually make a chord! Was practicing really the secret???
YES!!!!! Our brains our so awesome!! I've been playing the guitar for 3 years now, am no pro, but i can play without looking and its as if my fingers have adapted to playing automatically to each chord!
Without plasticity, the brain would remain static, frozen at a particular point in time. Brain plasticity allows the brain to do everything from learn how to speak to refining physical movements such as those associated with playing a musical instrument. Every time the brainencounters information, it reworks itself to accommodate it, and creates a map of the information it contains so that it can readily retrieve information when it is needed. People always need to be able to store and interpret new information, which makes plasticity critical to function at all ages (WiseGeek).
But wait, this gets even better! What if they told you half of your brain needed to be taken out? Do you think that you can function efficiently with only one half your brain? This little girl did. WATCH!
The brain is by far the most brilliant part of our body that makes us...well...US!
Neurotrophins work to help preserve these axons that need to communicate in order to carry out their function. Of course therapy is needed to, positively increase the process of plasticity.
This comes to show us, that we have the potential to make our brains a powerhouse! So next time you hear that phrase we all have come to know "Practice makes perfect"...believe it!
WOW! I love Jodi's story! It has officially settled in that brain plasticity is wonderful. How interesting is it that the brain knows when something is wrong and finds a solution to fix it by altering existing pathways and even creating new ones by plasticity? Living with seizures all her life would have made it real difficult for Jodi to have a common life. If this would have happened to me, well I would really have to think about it. Having half of your brain removed is a BIG thing, and deciding to go on with the procedure is an important decision. For parents to decide for their young daughter to get this type of surgical procedure is probably really hard, because one always thinks “what is something does not come out right?” I am really happy and amazed by Jodi’s story because her brain started reconnecting almost immediately after surgery. By the looks of Jodi's story it is a magnificent outcome that she is now able to have a normal routine without any seizures. How the brain works is truly amazing. Every day the brain surprises me more and more!
ReplyDeleteI agree practice does make perfect! I used to play the viola for about 4 years and i remember starting out the same exact way. I was clueless and as much as my teacher emphasized that you should be able to distinguish the notes by their sounds, i would just depend on the location of the tapes that were on the instrument. After awhile of course, i had no choice but to depend on my memory and my ears. Its amazing how much your brain can absorb and change over time. This is the reason why our brains don't look EXACTLY alike. I can't get over how adorable the little girl in the video is. It unbelievable how at such a young age she was having numerous seizures! and i'm even more amazed of how much our modern research has come along. Being able to live with half a brain?? Never thought that was possible until now! I knew that the cerebral spinal fluid played such an important role in our body, but sort of assumed that too much of it was a bad thing. I can't believe how fast our brain can regrow and relearn things. I can say that i am extremely happy that plasticity of our brain is possible because without this ability i probably would have able to be where i am today, both in an educational and personal level,
ReplyDeleteNot just “OUR” brains but the brains of every living creator with a brain. They are all phenomenal. That’s how I felt the first time I stepped into a mat for ju-jitsu. I was so frustrated because everyone kept tapping me out. I too, little by little began to avoid submissions and began doing reversals. It took me several but whippings but I was able to become a blue belt in BJJ, well until I got injured. Plasticity is truly to be thanked. (Before watching the video) I think you would not be able to function effectively if half of your brain was gone. (After watching the video) It is interesting, only slight movements are affected but you can still keep doing your thing. I truly do believe that phrase; I just never paid much attention to it until now.
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