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Rating:  - Neuroplastisity - The Next Big Thing
This book has changed how I think about my brain. I'll admit I used to believe that we were hard wired in certain areas of the brain and once the brain broke it could never be fixed. I remember hearing that growing up. I also remember that my father had a brain injury and other than getting lost and distracted he was able to do what ever he needed to do. This book explains how it was possible that he was able to do that. It proves that Neuroplasticity is possible and give us methods with which to do it.
I can understand some people might have a reluctance to pick up a book that's about Neurology. It sounds dry and difficult. But the use of cases and stories to explain the evolution of the theories will guide the non-scientist through this breakthrough research on the brain. It's not a difficult read.
He talks about the changes that happen when we age and what we can do to stave off the worst ones. It's not a surprise really we all know people who age well. They follow his suggestion and so retain their faculties into advanced age (whether they knew them or not). He tells the story of several people with severe brain injury and how they have managed to recover in very significant ways.
Rating: - The Brain that Changes Itself
This book is an easy read with relatively large print and fascinating case histories. It discusses the changing brain from the aspect of different disciplines - psychology, neurology, rehabilitation, dream work, etc. Most everyone will find a story that they can relate to a personal experience.
Rating: - Positive Journey
Norman Doidge offers an entertaining account of how researchers on the frontiers of neuroscience are creating a better world for all us. The stories he weaves keep our attention on many heroes. These range from researchers who are to be admired for their intelligence and persistence to others who have overcome great difficulties.
Most importantly, Doidge makes significant news readily accessible to those who are seeking better understanding of who they are and they how they might help themselves and others. A brain surgeon colleague was suitably impressed when I prompted him to read this fascinating account of brain science.
This book is a must read for health professionals, educators, mums and dads and all of us over 55. Friends and I have given away numerous copies. The recipients are never disappointed. [BTW, I have never met Norman. I have no shares in the publisher's company nor am I readily given to writing effusive reviews.]
Rating: - Fascinating, entertaining for ordinary readers
Although I'm not in the field at all, I found this book enlightening and fun to read. The author illustrates his points about brain plasticity through case studies and mini-biographies of groundbreaking researchers and therapists in the field, including the story of a woman born with only half a brain who amazingly adapts. Easy to read and non-technical, the book traces the history of prevailing scientific thought on brain structure and function, makes a convincing theoretical and practical case for plasticity, and shows how powerfully and positively plasticity concepts can be applied to real life situations to rescue "hopelessly" damaged people from their pain and suffering.
Rating:  - Good Book but Definitely Not an Intro to Neuroscience
For decades now there has been a longstanding feud between biologists and psychologists on how the human brain forms and develops -- otherwise known as the nature versus nurture debate. Evolutionary biology teaches us that genes is destiny, and with his book the Canadian psychiatrist Norman Doidge makes his case for individual agency and cultural influences.
Like Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs, & Steel" Dr. Doidge's book is not original research but rather a synthesis and summary from the frontiers of brain science. Supplemented with case studies "The Brain that Changes Itself" is about neuroplasticity, which argues that the brain is "plastic," or organic and malleable. For hundreds of years, thanks to thinkers like Rene Descartes, scientists have thought of the brain as mechanical, certain functions localized to certain sectors in this machine -- over time it rusts, with no chance of regeneration. Thanks to decades of research by a brave few who dared to defy their mainstream bethren and to the invention of brain scans neuroplasticity is now the accepted view.
The good news about neuroplasticity is that the brain you have is the brain you make it. New external stimuli (such as learning a new language) causes new neural connections in the brain (the "neurons that fire together wire together" rule of neuroplasticity). Often when we're learning a new language or skill after some fast improvement in the early stages we reach a plateau where we seem to have no improvement at all. Then after a while we suddenly make a great leap. That's because it takes time (as measured by nights of good sleep) for these neural connections to consolidate themselves but once they do we can move onto the next level. Of course if we don't keep on practising this skill these connections will weaken (the "use it or lose it" rule of plasticity) because space in the brain is, after all, limited.
Individual agency over our brains gives great hope to those who suffer from aging and brain damage. Scientists have developed brain exercises on the computer to help the elderly maintain a sharp and alert mind, and help stroke victims restore once lost cognitive functions.
The bad news is that the brain you have is the brain that you make it, and unfortunately most of us choose the path of least resistance and decide not to use it at all. As Dr. Doidge explains the plastic paradox means that exposing yourself to new stimuli can make the brain flexible but choosing to stay within your comfort zone will also make the brain rigid. Learning is fast and furious when we're kids but as we reach adulthood the brain becomes less plastic, making learning more difficult, and instead of choosing to learn most of us choose merely to rely on our current belief system. And when the world challenges this belief system we choose to ignore the world, and if forced we'll opt to fight the world. Thus, the plastic brain that allows us to learn new languages can also paradoxically make us intolerant and racist.
Indeed, as Dr. Doidge warns us, the individuals that he profiles who have managed to change themselves have done so because they make a honest and hard commitment to change themselves. Dr. Doidge's patients went into psychotherapy (which operates from the principles of neuroplasticity) to discover how trauma created unhealthy neural connections, and how through discussion, self-analysis, and will-power to create new neural connections. But this process is painful and costly and takes many years.
And it's so hard because the brain is so adept at protecting us. When we suffer a physical injury the brain will actually decide on what the appropriate level of pain we feel is. And when we're traumatized when we're young (for example, our mother dies or we're sexually abused) the brain will often decide to not convert this experience into long-term memory, and build defenses to disassociate ourselves from the possible pain of further trauma. The net effect is that our hippocampus -- the area of our frontal lobe that transfers experience into long-term memory, and thus what governs our ability to learn -- will shrink, thereby giving a scientific explanation to why adult victims of childhood trauma seem so adolescent and immature.
Neuroplasticity offers hope though: love. It seems that our neural network will automatically become more flexible in two critical periods of our adulthood: when we fall in love, and when we have children. Presumably it's because in both instances we need to urgently learn a new skillset to match the two most important circumstances we could find ourselves in. So being in love with someone does allow you to change who you are. Of course, being the circumspect doctor, Dr. Doidge reminds us that if we find ourselves in love with the wrong person we can change for the worst as well, seeing our confidence and healthy attitude suddenly shatter.
I'm not sure how Dr. Doidge would view my summary of his book, because I've taken great liberty in summarizing it. It's a pithy book and there's really a lot of refreshing and insightful material in the book but I'm not happy about the writing style -- which seems rushed and choppy to me -- and the organization, which hurts the clarity and effectiveness of the book. I've read quite a lot on the workings of the brain so I could follow through most chapters but I think a novice will have a particularly hard time reading this book. For a great introduction to how the mind works I suggest watching the BBC documentary series "The Human Series," hosted by Robert Winston -- possibly the greatest documentary series ever made.
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