Brain can
be rewired- Understanding neuroplasticity
Our brain is composed of billions
of neurons. These neurons are connected to the vertebra and through it to other
parts of body in the form of nerve clusters. The complete internal management
is controlled by these neurons. Neurons jap and as a result messages are
transmitted electro-magnetically and chemical reaction begin inside the body. The human brain is
composed of approximately 100 billion neurons. Early researchers believed that
neurogenesis, or the creation of new neurons, stopped shortly after birth.
Today, it is understood that the brain possesses the remarkable capacity to
reorganize pathways, create new connections and, in some cases, even create new
neurons. This will provide new direction to medical science. Creation of new
neurons is a significant event. It can provide clues to most of the neurological
diseases and solutions.
Creation of new neurons or “Brain rewiring” is known as brain
plasticity or neuroplasticity or cortical remapping, is a term that refers to
the brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of “designed experiences”.
Up until the 1960s, researchers believed that changes in the brain could only take
place during infancy and childhood. By early adulthood, it was believed that
the brain's physical structure was permanent.
- It can vary by age; while plasticity occurs throughout the lifetime, certain types of changes are more predominant during specific life ages.
- It involves a variety of processes; plasticity is ongoing throughout life and involves brain cells other than neurons, including glial and vascular cells.
- It can happen for two different reasons; as a result of learning, experience and memory formation, or as a result of damage to the brain.
- Environment plays an essential role in the process, but genetics can also have an influence.
The first few years of a child's life are a time of rapid brain
growth. At birth, every neuron in the cerebral cortex has an estimated 2,500
synapses; by age of three, this number has grown to a whopping 15,000 synapses
per neuron.
The average adult, however, has about half that number of
synapses. Why? Because as we gain new experiences, some connections are
strengthened while others are eliminated. This process is known as synaptic
pruning. Neurons that are used frequently develop stronger connections and
those that are rarely or never used eventually die. By developing new
connections and pruning away weak ones, the brain is able to adapt to the
changing environment.
Modern researches have successfully
demonstrated that the brain continues to create new neural pathways and alter
existing ones in order to adapt to new experiences, learn new information and
create new memories. People who meditate grow bigger brains than those who don't.
Researchers at Harvard, Yale, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
have confirmed the evidence those ancient Indian Vedas have established
through research on “life management”. Ancient vedas say that the ba
The
link between “self-managed way of life” that incorporates asan, pranayama, meditation and neuroplasticity
has become evident over the last couple of decades, as the science of today is
now realising that neuroplasticity can make dent in human’s life which is supporting
the claim that meditation can have a substantial role in the moulding and
shaping of the brain. Yoga, aasan, pranayam and meditation can be extremely
beneficial to the body and to the mind for “holistic healing” and living a
happy, healthy and safe life.
