Neuroplasticity Essay

Abstract

As the human body goes through different experiences, the brain grows, develops, and changes according to the environmental situations it has been exposed to. Some of these factors include drugs, stress, hormones, diets, and sensory stimuli. [1] Neuroplasticity can be defined as the ability of the nervous system to respond to natural and abnormal stimuli experienced by the human body. The nervous system then reorganizes the brain’s structure and changes some of its function to theoretically repair itself by forming new neurons. [2] Neuroplasticity can occur during and in response to many different situations that occur throughout life. Some examples of these situations are learning, diseases, and going through therapy after an injury.

Certain changes to the brain that are experienced more within young brains, tend to be more adaptive and responsive to situations that an older brain tends to be more maladaptive to. Neuroplasticity happens most in the first years of life and decreases as the human body ages. Children are more likely to recover at faster rates from head injuries than adults. It has been shown that they can recover their brain functions faster due to neuroplasticity. There are four types of neuroplasticity in children; adaptive, excessive, plasticity, and adaptive. Plasticity makes the brain virtually vulnerable to injury. Adaptive neuroplasticity is the changes that allow children to have special skills and to adapt to them. Impaired neuroplasticity occurs when genetic disorders change molecular pathways. Excessive neuroplasticity can lead to disabilities and seizures because the brain is not meant to change too often. [4] As the human body ages, it has been found that there is more of a maladaptive function which negatively impacts the brain and the body.[5] Margaret Kennard came up with a principle called the Kennard principle. This principle states that the younger the brain is, the more likely it is that it will be able to recover from trauma.[6] The Kennard Principle also can be argued against because of the fact that preterm infants have the probability of possessing numerous mental