Regardless of age,
your brain has the ability to make new neurons and construct new neural
pathways throughout your life. Every time you engage in new activities, think
in novel ways, learn a skill or do things differently, new pathways are forged
and your cognitive reserve expands. This process, called neuroplasticity, has
been a revelation in neuroscience.
Numerous studies have
helped us to understand how learning transforms the brain. Take, for example, a
landmark German study of a group of people who had never juggled before. After
giving them three months of juggling training, the investigators scanned the
newly minted jugglers’ brains and found an increase in volume of areas that
process complex visual motion. Although the change was temporary, the study
demonstrated an anatomical modification as a result of learning.
Another study by
German researchers looked at the effect of intense studying on brain structure.
Medical students preparing for their board exams underwent MRI scans of their
brains before, during and three months after they completed their exams. The
students experienced a significant volume increase in various brain regions
including the hippocampus (the brain’s memory center) over time.
And what’s even more
exciting is that three months after they stopped studying for exams, the student’s
hippocampi continued to enlarge. This is thought to be due to the proliferation
of new neurons induced by learning.
Every part of the
brain serves a special function. In recent years, there’s been an explosion of research
in the field of neuroplasticity. Using MRI technology, the brains of athletes,
musicians, video gamers and even cabdrivers have been studied. This has
provided a new understanding of how the brain is shaped by the way it’s
utilized. For example, the scan of an accomplished pianist will show expansion
of the cortical areas associated with finger dexterity while those of
experienced cabdrivers reveal enlargement of regions dedicated to spatial
navigational skills.
Researchers have even
begun looking at how brain structure may be molded by online social networks.
They’ve found that college students with more friends on Facebook had
enlargement of various brain regions, including an area linked with the task of
putting names to faces. This kind of research underscores the fact that the
brain you have at this very moment mirrors the way you have spent your time.
But more importantly, the future structure of your brain is yet to be
determined.