Change and neuroplasticity

In 2020, as the world adjusted to a pandemic, there were numerous articles on how lockdowns had changed us. The following year, many tried to draw a line under the pandemic and move on.

Neuroplasticity is the concept that the brain can rewire itself.

Change is inevitable

Often, when things are uncertain, we have a strong desire to get back to the way things used to be. Uncertainty is , well, uncertain. Life is often about becoming comfortable with knowing that we don't know what will happen.

This is familiar to anyone with a brain injury. Too much has happened to a brain injury survivor for them to be exactly who they were before. Instead, there is a pre-injury self and a post-injury self. The difference between these versions of ourselves is known as self-discrepancy.

I suspect that many will experience self-discrepancy in the months and years around life events. The desire to return to 'normal', to our pre-injury or pre-event self, is strong. But, in some cases, a return will be impossible.

Life is often about becoming comfortable with knowing that we don't know what will happen

Neuroplasticity

Just as a brain injury survivor can find hope in neuroplasticity, so can someone rebuilding during and after other trauma. Neuroplasticity is "the concept that the brain can rewire itself". Or, as Dr Seemungal puts it in my brain injury memoir, "the brain can change in response to training."

This makes sense, as change is not new. Change happens all the time. Usually, it causes a little ruckus and then we become used to it. Our brain becomes used to it. This happens on small time scales, for instance the first week after school holidays is a struggle and then a routine sets in. Or it can happen over a longer time, as we become more fluent in a language or adept at a musical instrument.

Hope for the future

I like the concept of neuroplasticity as it is proof that we can change. Whether we need to adapt to a small thing such as a new exercise routine or something larger like adjusting to a new society, our brains can do it.

Scientists have discovered why our brains are large. We learn more about how brains work, age, and react to training and injury every day. There is an exciting future in brain research out there.

For now, as we face a rapidly changing world, I’m glad to know that neuroplasticity will help me to adjust.