My brain is plastic ???!!!?????

I hope today's blog is thought provoking as well as informative ... I hope it will drive you to action. I've been at a conference for 2 days, honored to be in the company of some of the worlds' most recognized scientists in the field of brain science (Merzenich, Tallal, Jenkins). ‘Neuroplasticity’ refers to the scientific fact that the brain CAN change !



Do you remember learning that "you are only born with so many brain cells so be careful because when they are gone, they are gone". Well, it turns out, this 'warning' is almost in the same category as "If you keep making that face at your brother, your face will stay that way FOREVER".



Thanks to technological advances in imaging, research is proving that we CAN improve the way the brain functions! It is also exciting to know that changes to the brain can occur AT ALL AGES: in young children, adolescents, adults, and seniors! This includes individuals with developmental delays, experiencing the effects of a disease process, following traumatic brain injuries, and general cognitive decline or more severe dementia.




In the work that I do as a speech-language pathologist, I am fortunate to work with individuals of all ages from many walks of life. Unfortunately, they face a variety of communication challenges. My like-minded colleagues and I are thrilled that scientists are proving things that we've believed and seen happening for years! We are optimistic and regularly celebrate the successes of our clients. That means we truly have been changing the brain, not only changing behaviors! Hooray for the team !



In research with children, I am thrilled to be hearing more and more about “individual differences” (ala Stanley Greenspan, MD) at a biological level, as well as confirmation that the importance of brain processing, timing, and coordination of the way the brain works is KEY.



In research with adults, I am encouraged to hear that the benefits of intervention on reducing the negative impact on brain function from chemotherapy, mental illness, and even dementia are now being documented using brain imaging technology.




So . . . . Where do we start???



My recommendation: Adults, do something new! If you always do crossword puzzles, start doing sudoko. If you have played tennis for 20 years, take up basketball! If you watch Jeopardy, but not Wheel of Fortune ... watch it too!

My opinion: Check out www.PositScience.com for affordable home computer brain-training programs based on scientific research designed for adults. It IS possible to regain brain function and gain years on how you process things you hear and see! Both Brain Fitness ™ and Insight ™ offer the opportunity to 'train your brain' in the comfort of your home. Their website offers demos and a great deal of information, so check it out! www.positscience.com You can purchase directly from their website for use at home.



My opinion: If you are the parent of an elementary school, middle school, high school, or college aged individual, check out www.ScientificLearning.com to learn about their family of programs. Appropriate for use for both enrichment for typical learners and intervention for individuals with learning challenges, Fast ForWord ™ , the Reading series, and the Reading Assistant ™ are computer programs also based on over 30 years of neuroscientific research. Full Disclosure: I am a provider of these programs and have used them for almost 10 years … because I believe in their value. I’d be honored to assist you with implementation before school ends OR during summer!



Next up…. Communicating as a Parent: How you praise and motivate your child matters.



because Communication Matters. Doesn’t it?? Let me hear from you!



Mindy