Neuroplasticity
Let me start off by defining the term neuroplasticity: “the ability of the brain to form and recognize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following injury.” Even you focusing on trying to create a habit, those 21 days of consistency leads into a change or accumulation of a new habit due to neuroplasticity.
To explain neuroplasticity a little bit more, it essentially has two different types of plasticity as you can see in the image above. Structural plasticity allows the composition to change. As our brains are stimulated through new experiences and memories, our brain changes and adapts to hold these entities. Not only does this shape out brain, but on a more philosophical level, who we are as human beings and how we become the people we are. The second type is functional plasticity, where brain cells and neurons work to “repairs areas of the brain. This is what we would want to work on. As someone who absolutely loves Neuroscience, I hope we can make great strides for people who have autism, depression, PTSD, etc., where there are damaged areas of the brain which impede day to day life, and not only effects the individual, but families and loved ones as well.
As I focus on the science side of xNeurals’ research, in this post I want to dive into how neuroplasticity relates to autism, and how our research and future technology will help with these types of spectrum disorders.
In the case of autism, there are too many neurons forming connections which creates the malfunctions in communication between brain cells. Something else we have seen in connection to autism, is a shortened period of neuroplasticity. Meaning the brains of those with autism have a shortened period, when compared to “regular” brains, where brain cells are able to change and make connections. Neuroplasticity allows for individuals to develop language, complex thinking, and social skills, as well as performing neural integration.
A perhaps crazy idea that we at xNeurals could enact through our future technology is that of using technology to stimulate the brains of those with spectrum disorders, PTSD, and other disorders similar, to allow neuroplasticity to occur once again, and in the case of autism: lower the number of neurons forming those excess amount of connections, allowing for neural integration and complex changes in the brain, creating a more communicative life, which changes that the individual and their loved ones would want to see.
References
Berger, J. M., Rohn, T. T., & Oxford, J. T. (2013, August 20). Autism as the early closure of
a neuroplastic critical period normally seen in adolescence. Biological systems, open access. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3864123/.
Cherry, K. (2021, February 3). How brain neurons change over time from life experience. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-2794886. Ibogaine’s unique impact ON NEUROPLASTICITY. Psychable. (2021, May 7). https:// psychable.com/ibogaine/ibogaines-unique-impact-on-neuroplasticity/.
Jurie. (2021, August 18). How neuroplasticity changes the brain — driven. Driven App. https:// home.hellodriven.com/articles/how-neuroplasticity-changes-the-brain/.
Katebabbitt. (2018, August 13). Neuroplasticity and academic writing. Academic Editing Services. https://writersfriend.org/2018/08/12/neuroplasticity-and-academic-writing/. neuroplasticity, n. . Home : Oxford English Dictionary. (n.d.). https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/ 50933187?redirectedFrom=neuroplasticity#eid.
ScienceDaily. (2017, November 2). In autism, too many brain connections may be at root of condition. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171102131330.htm.
- Jayvanti Vanmanthai
