Paths of Plasticity: Cultivating Change in the Brain

1. The Brain as Soil: The Base of Everything

Your brain is like soil;  rich, complex, and full of potential - a place where experiences take root and grow. Whilst, your genes are like the type of soil you begin your journey with - sand, clay, dirt or stone. 

Genetics have a significant influence on the development and function of the brain. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke [1], there are 20,000 different genes that make up the human genome, and at least approximately a third of these are active primarily in the brain. This is the highest proportion of genes expressed in any part of the body. 

Some soil types (like some genetic predisposition) make it easier for certain plants (traits or abilities) to grow. However, no soil is perfect – each has strengths and limitations, and over time, experiences, habits, and learning will either enrich or sap the soil.

Although genes set the stage, they don’t write the script. Your brain – your soil – can be nurtured. Neuroplasticity is the compost that allows change, even in old or poor soil.

2. Thoughts as Seeds: What You Plant Grows

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to adapt:-

• ‘Neuro’ refers to neurons, the nerve cells that are the building blocks of the brain and nervous system. 

• ‘Plasticity’ refers to the brain's ability to change. 

Thus, neuroplasticity allows nerve cells to change or adjust. It happens everytime you learn, remember or recover from an injury. There are two underlying mechanisms involved in neuroplasticity known as structural and functional changes.

How does neuroplasticity affect us in everyday life? 

In day-to-day life, neuroplasticity impacts us through structural changes in the brain. This is a natural process whereby new neurons grow and form synaptic connections with existing neuronal networks. Imagine the neurons are plants, the synapses are the roots, and the neuronal network is the ecosystem in which the plant thrives. 

The average newborn has 100 billion neurons but few connections (synapses) between them. However, this number rapidly increases in infancy and childhood. The developing synapses in children allow them to adapt to new tasks and pick up new abilities, such as cognitive and motor skills much quicker than adults [2]. But, learning something new is like planting a seed. It needs nurturing - repetition - to grow into a healthy plant. As the brain matures into adolescence, neurodevelopmental changes continue to take place but at a decreased rate, as a result of synaptic pruning:-

• ‘Synaptic pruning’ can be defined as the brain's method of weeding the garden (neural network), by removing unnecessary or unused connections, and  clearing space for what matters the most.

For instance, when learning a new language structural and functional changes in the brain can be observed. Two key structures known as  Broca’s Area (located in the frontal lobe) and Wernicke’s Area (located in the temporal lobe) exhibit changes important for language production and comprehension. It is largely agreed that the gray matter density and volume in these regions elicits significant change when learning a second language [3, 4]. Strengthening of white matter of the arcuate fasciculus has also been demonstrated. This white matter pathway enables the transmission of information between Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area – damage to this pathway can lead to conduction aphasia (a speech disorder) [5]. Ultimately, over time, these plastic changes become accustomed to the new linguistic requests and thereby enhance language processing efficiency.  

How does neuroplasticity affect us in times of injury and/or distress? 

During times of injury and/or distress, neuroplasticity impacts us through functional changes in the brain. Functional changes in the brain allow us to adapt and compensate for damaged functions. 

Picture this – the sunflower plant in your garden has been knocked down by the wind (trauma). The main stem (neural pathways) is impaired and some petals (cognitive/motor functions) are damaged. 

Despite the damage, the sunflower begins to adjust (due to functional neuroplasticity). Side shoots (sensory input) grow from lower down the main stem to support the weakened base of the sunflower. Eventually, nearby leaves begin to actively engage with the sun (functional recovery and rewiring). 

The sunflower adjusts its original appearance in order to adapt, and in the same way, the brain fine-tunes itself – shifting functions and engaging new regions. Like the sunflower, the brain adapts to survive and thrive.

Real life examples showing how functional neuroplasticity allows the brain to compensate can be seen in recovering stroke patients. Stroke disturbs both the structural and functional integrity of the brain. Whilst it is important to understand that each stroke experience is unique, and that the secondary effects an individual experiences after a stroke depend on the area of the brain affected and the severity of the stroke – a review by Su and colleagues concluded: “the adult brain has strong plasticity potential, which can be exploited by therapeutic approaches in patients with stroke.” The review suggests the use of combining emerging biological therapies with modern rehabilitation that is task-specific and intensive. 

Modern rehabilitation aims to be task-oriented. Through engaging the areas of the brain adjacent to or distant from the site of injury in meaningful, repetitive activities that mimic real-life tasks, functional connections become strengthened. Research shows this method increases motor and cognitive recovery more effectively than general exercise, by targeting relevant pathways [6].

3. Weeds in the Garden: Negative Patterns

Much like weeds overtaking healthy plants, unhelpful neural pathways can take root when the brain restructures badly. Without careful "gardening", these weeds may spread, embedding dysfunction rather than recovery.

Therefore we can surmise that neuroplasticity presents both opportunities and risks [7]. On one hand, it underlies positive changes such as learning and recovery through rehabilitation, and healthy aging. On the other, the same mechanisms can reinforce harmful patterns, contributing to conditions like chronic pain, addiction, and/or psychiatric disorders [8]. 

With this in mind, it is important to remember that brain plasticity is not limitless. For example, in the event of an injury, total functional recovery isn’t always possible – some injuries are too severe for the brain to fully rewire itself. Neuroplasticity also cannot work without biologically available material [9].

4 . Environment and Weather: What Affects Growth

Just like plants need the right climate, your brain thrives in a supportive environment.

Environmental factors, including social context and lifestyle choices, play a major role in determining an individual's neuroplasticity. These factors often influence brain development, function, and even the capacity to recover from injury. 

We cannot analyze the  human experience in the same way we observe animals. However, animal models do provide important insights. For instance, an article by Mandolesi and colleagues suggests that since we cannot separate the different variables that make up the human experience because we cannot analyze them separately – experimental research on animals may compensate for these shortcomings. The 1980s onwards saw a significant increase in publications and research using enriched environment (EE) animal models to stimulate a specific experience or a combination of experiences [10]. 

In animal studies, enriched environments support brain plasticity by providing novelty, social interaction, and physical activity. Changing objects in cages boosts learning and exploration. Physical stimulation comes from movement and foraging, while social interaction is mimicked by housing animals in groups, where social hierarchies naturally form. These elements together promote cognitive and neural development.

Studies in humans show environmental factors such as regular physical activity and good sleep hygiene can play a significant role in brain well-being. Mandolesi and colleagues deemed it necessary to distinguish between physical activity (PA) and physical exercise (PE). In humans, physical activity (PA) refers to any movement that uses energy – like walking, cleaning, or playing. Physical exercise (PE) is a specific type of PA that is planned and repetitive, with the goal of improving or maintaining physical fitness.

Newsom and Rehman determined the following benefits of physical activity: 

• Immediate effects include reduced anxiety, lower blood pressure, and better sleep.

• Long-term benefits include improved weight management, stronger bones, and reduced disease risk.

• Both aerobic and resistance training improve sleep quality.

• Any movement can help, but younger people often need more to see the same effects [11].

One of the well-accepted ideas is that sleep is essential for memory, learning, and neuroplasticity mechanisms and therefore plays a role in motor and cognitive recovery [12], 

Newsom and Rehman also identified the following outcomes of good and bad sleep hygiene:

• Sleep helps the body and brain recover, supporting nearly all tissues.

• Adults need at least 7 hours, but many get less, raising risks for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

• Sleep loss impairs focus, increases hunger hormones, and leads to unhealthy food choices.

• Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to weight gain and obesity.

• Muscles recover during sleep; lack of it reduces energy, activity levels, and workout performance.

5. You Are the Gardener

Neuroplasticity is a powerful, lifelong process that enables the brain to adapt, reorganize, and recover in response to experience, injury, and change. Though you can't always control the weather, you can build a greenhouse — with resilience tools like mindfulness, routines, and support systems.

References

1. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2010). Brain Basics: Genes At Work In The Brain | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. [online] www.ninds.nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/patient-caregiver-education/brain-basics-genes-work-brain 

2. GOV.WALES. (2024). Understanding why your child’s brain is so amazing! [online] Available at: https://www.gov.wales/parenting-give-it-time/your-childs-development/understanding-why-your-childs-brain-is-so-amazing. 

3. Mechelli, A., Crinion, J.T., Noppeney, U., O’Doherty, J., Ashburner, J., Frackowiak, R.S. and Price, C.J. (2004). Structural plasticity in the bilingual brain. Nature, [online] 431(7010), pp.757–757. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/431757a. 

4. Abutalebi, J., Canini, M., Della Rosa, P.A., Sheung, L.P., Green, D.W. and Weekes, B.S. (2014). Bilingualism protects anterior temporal lobe integrity in aging. Neurobiology of Aging, 35(9), pp.2126–2133. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.03.010. 

5. Wani, P.D. (2024). From Sound to Meaning: Navigating Wernicke’s Area in Language Processing. Cureus, 16(9). doi:https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.69833. 

6. Su, F. and Xu, W. (2020). Enhancing Brain Plasticity to Promote Stroke Recovery. Frontiers in Neurology, 11. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2020.554089. 

7. Allred, R.P. and Jones, T.A. (2008). Experience: a double-edged sword for restorative neural plasticity after brain damage. Future Neurology, 3(2), pp.189–198. doi:https://doi.org/10.2217/14796708.3.2.189. 

8. ‌‌Marzola, P., Melzer, T., Pavesi, E., Gil-Mohapel, J. and Brocardo, P.S. (2023). Exploring the role of neuroplasticity in development, aging, and neurodegeneration. Brain Sciences, [online] 13(12), pp.1–32. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13121610. 

9. Lalitha Ramasubramanian (2022). Neuroplasticity. [online] UC Davis Biotechnology Program. Available at: https://biotech.ucdavis.edu/blog/neuroplasticity .

10. Mandolesi, L., Gelfo, F., Serra, L., Montuori, S., Polverino, A., Curcio, G. and Sorrentino, G. (2017). Environmental Factors Promoting Neural Plasticity: Insights from Animal and Human Studies. Neural Plasticity, [online] 2017. doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/7219461. 

11. Newsom, R. and Rehman, A. (2023). The Connection Between Diet, Exercise, and Sleep. [online] Sleep Foundation. Available at: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/diet-exercise-sleep. 

12. Gorgoni, M., D’Atri, A., Lauri, G., Rossini, P.M., Ferlazzo, F. and De Gennaro, L. (2013). Is Sleep Essential for Neural Plasticity in Humans, and How Does It Affect Motor and Cognitive Recovery? Neural Plasticity, 2013(103949), pp.1–13. doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/103949.