What the metaphor of ‘rewiring’ gets wrong about neuroplasticity | Aeon Essays
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The metaphor of rewiring offers an ideal of engineered precision. But the brain is more like a forest than a circuit board

It’s a bit technical, but fascinating. I hope you find it useful. Here is an excerpt (bold is mine):

To evaluate the metaphor, it’s important to grasp how brain plasticity actually works. We already know a lot about the brain’s remarkable ability to reorganise itself throughout life by forming new neural connections, strengthening existing ones or rerouting functions to undamaged areas. But the logic of neuroplasticity isn’t the same as swapping one wire with another. It’s more like a living forest where paths are gradually worn or abandoned based on use. It involves changes at the cellular level and can occur in response to learning, memory, sensory input and trauma. Importantly, while neuroplasticity is a lifelong feature of the brain, it is more robust during youth and becomes more effort-dependent with age.

This capacity allows the brain to adapt to new experiences, recover from injuries, learn new information and compensate for lost functions. Neuroplasticity is real, but it’s not magic. It has limits. It requires effort. And it doesn’t always result in perfect recovery or transformation.

  • Optional@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    6 days ago

    Very good. I liked this part:

    More than a decade later, the neuroscientist Don Vaughn took the stage at TEDxUCLA with a more applied vision. In ‘Neurohacking: Rewiring Your Brain’ (2015), he showcased how emerging tools allow people to consciously shape that plasticity. He described patients receiving non-invasive brain stimulation for depression, parents using apps that translate baby cries into visual signals, and volunteers who learned to self-modulate their brain rhythms through neurofeedback. ‘If we can rewire your brain using devices, would it at all be possible to help your brain rewire itself with just your own thoughts?’ The question captures the cultural leap – from biological possibility to personal mastery.

    Of course the point of the article is to ground expectations a bit, but still a fun thing to think about.