How does our brain receive and learn new things? Our brain has the ability change and adapt in response to disease or injury.
Neuroplasticity describes the brain's ability to grow and reorganize itself by forming new electrical pathways. This develops in response to learning, experience, and memory formation.
Neuroplasticity
Neural connections in the brain become weaker or stronger, depending on how often they are used. However, the brains of children are able to adapt more easily when compared to their adult brain counterparts, due to more plasticity.
At birth, infants’ brains have around 2,500 synapses. At 2-3 years of age, the number of synapses increases up to 15,000, allowing the child to learn new skills and explore the world.
If one hemisphere (half) of the brain is damaged, the healthy one compensates by taking over additional functions. This occurs by forming new connections between intact neurons that did not exist previously.
The brain changes itself by changing its neural connections. Nerve cells (neurons) are produced continuously and integrated into the brain throughout life.
Structural Neuroplasticity
Functional neuroplasticity occurs in response to injury or illness to neurons. It occurs as the body's way to heal and recover physiological or behavioral patterns.
Functional Neuroplasticity
For more information about meditation, please review this article.