The Nuts and Bolts of Better Brains: Harnessing the Power of Neuroplasticity

What if your brain at 77 were as plastic as it was at 7? What if you could learn Mandarin with the ease of a toddler or play Rachmaninoff without breaking a sweat? A growing understanding of neuroplasticity suggests these fantasies could one day become reality. Neuroplasticity may also be the key to solving diseases like Alzheimer’s, depression, and autism. In this program, leading neuroscientists discuss their most recent findings and both the tantalizing possibilities and pitfalls for our future cognitive selves.
PARTICIPANTS: Alvaro Pascual-Leone, Nim Tottenham, Carla Shatz
MODERATOR: Guy McKhann
MORE INFO ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND PARTICIPANTS: www.worldsciencefestival.com/...
This program is part of the BIG IDEAS SERIES, made possible with support from the JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION.
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TOPICS:
- Opening film 00:00
- What is neuroplasticity? 03:53
- Participant introductions 04:21
- Structure of the brain 05:21
- Is the brain fundamentally unwired at the start? 07:02
- Why does the process of human brain development seem inefficient? 08:30
- Balancing stability and plasticity 10:43
- Critical periods of brain development 13:01
- Extended human childhood development compared to other animals 14:54
- Stability and. plasticity in the visual system 17:37
- Reopening the visual system 25:13
- Pros and cons of brain plasticity vs. stability 27:28
- Plasticity in the autistic brain 29:55
- What is Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) 31:25
- Phases of emotional development 33:10
- Schizophrenia and plasticity 37:40
- Recovery from brain injury 40:24
- Modern rehabilitation techniques 47:21
- Holy grail of Neuroscience 50:12
- Enhancing memory performance as we age 53:37
- Regulating emotions 57:19
PROGRAM CREDITS:
- Produced by Nils Kongshaug
- Associate Produced by Christine Driscoll
- Opening film written / produced by Vin Liota
- Music provided by APM
- Additional images and footage provided by: Getty Images, Shutterstock, Videoblocks
This program was recorded live at the 2018 World Science Festival and has been edited and condensed for KZbin.

[Sam Glory]

Neuroplasticity and brain reprogramming should be subjects taught at school so that every single person out there knows the incredible capabilities they withhold.

[Joseph Anderson]

Sam glory agreed but that's what we're having limited from us to use against us. Now that's just my imaginations opinion what you think.?

[Josephine George]

It should be taught to the would be parents too!

[Marcin Kiersnowski]

And everyone should take psychedelics

[Catinhat999 Catinhat]

Better try to learn demanded subjects first😅

[Aswin Burma]

Have you experienced its effect ???

[machikr]

I am over 50 years old, and I find my mind getting sharper as I age. I have been reading papers on subjects I received no formal training, and am surprised to find how much I am still able to understand. Brain is an amazing thing, and I now firmly believe one develops it until the moment one dies.

[narsplace]

​@Holophrazeinikos no it is knowing what to do.

[narsplace]

​@Andrew it is there are new studies that show that adults can learn as fast as a child.

[Venant Mwakio]

Frankly this talk net result it is to pour a bit of cold water into a now popular opinion that your brain can remain sharp even in advance age if you keep it active . Not sure I wan to wholly embrace the message, let me shop around for more optimistic talks, shamelessly😊

[Gabi Bliss]

Lucky you.

[Theresa Jeremias]

@Andrew ää0aa

[chinookvalley]

My parents were both orphaned during the Great Depression. They had to fight for their lives. Nothing came easily. Living on the streets. Getting passed from one family to someone else. I think of what they must have endured... yet they were happy, healthy, loving, successful, and enthusiastic. Dad passed at 91, mom at 87. At the times of their deaths they were sharp and focused. Amazing.

[Jairo Franco]

@Brandon Logan lol how is everything going ?

[Brandon Logan]

Yeah koko

[Brandon Logan]

Alright k

[Brandon Logan]

Alright

[Dp Chait]

I remember when I taught myself to read and write Japanese at the age of 46. I could almost feel the changes in my brain due to the extreme restructuring of the visual / comprehension that was neccessary

[Ekaterina]

That's more than incredible!!! How long did it take, if I may ask? I'm such linguistic anti talent, but would love to learn something extremely difficult. For now I think, I'll start learning the Morse Code, as I always wanted to do that, since I was nine years old. You must be really talented, not like me. 🥀

[Heidi Allison]

Yes, I know what you mean. When learning a new language, it literally does feel like your brain is changing physically.

[Robbie Anderson]

Wow! 🤩

[Supriti Maiti]

The most important thing is the drive, instinct, stimulation to learn. When one feels that there is nothing to worry about in the environment, that drive dies down. But if the environment keep changing, if someone has to constantly adapt to his/her environment to survive - the learning process has to continue. So, there is nothing like 'time's up' in neuroplasticity theory. It's another sensory driven outcome model which is there always, will be there throughout our life span.

[R. James]

I have dyslexia it very hard for me to learn how to Read and write specially if English is not my first language that makes me feel that I am not smart enough😔

[R. Pi II]

@Kevin M. definitely related the intensity can be de-emphasized, though. new therapies promising. (( i know a couple of EMDR success stories after trauma. and that's not even drug-intensive))

[Star 42#]

we can't stop until we are GODs and free Mankind from Ourselves, Simple hahaha

[Ron Noonan]

⁰

[Frank Martinez]

I remember learning about plasticity at 24 and I went back to school majored as electrical engineer and psychology. I am still learning more today. Downey California

[Ekaterina]

@Steph Despite MS it's never, ever too late! 👍

[Ekaterina]

@Raccoon Nation what's happening in California, if it's ok to ask? Thank you so much.

[Raccoon Nation]

You should too intelligent for what’s happening in California I hope you got outta there ♥️🇺🇸

[my1creation]

Go Downey❗️

[Miggy Vuitton]

Nice , congratulations I am 21 myself but am barely getting into psychology are there any books you could recommend?

[Mamamia]

There is one thing that intrigued me a lot, and it was the importance of brain stability over time. I think there is one interesting connection that is between stability and nostalgia. The first impressions that shape your cultural and personal tastes tend to last longer and be impactful because they influenced each person's critical period and remains there due to our brain's growing stability afterward.

[Ekaterina]

I remember being under two years old and wearing my dad's sleeper as a boat on my both feet. The sleeper was grey and my dad, towering above my like the Eiffel Tower, bending towards me kept asking for his sleeper back. Remember climbing out of my cot and crawling around the kitchen, so before walking. Being able to understand my family before being able to talk is an amazing and annoying thing! Don't know how my brain was able to process difficult words. But I know that I recognised the whole sentences, without understanding every separate word. It was like the phrase :"howareyou"; I didn't know that it contained " how" , "are" and "you"! It was just one, long word! I often recall my days as a toddler and try to find " me" , the real me, try to separate me from the acquired "me", shaped by the people and the whole environment I was brought up in. How would I have turned out if I were amongst different people, I wonder so often. Have I been changed, irreversibly changed by these people? Who am I, is the question I ask myself too often, especially now, after my darling husband's death, I'm trying to find me again, as if I were one year old, I'm trying to learn to walk unaided and I'm still so scared of letting go.🥀

[davidleesn]

This nostalgia in very traditional conservative people is a good point of self-brainwashing… that becomes the common denominator, joining the dots to form the overwhelming push and direction of the character , personality ?

[Narciso Chavez]

Angels, karma, man in the sky they are different names for the same belief. Right ir wrong, evil or good, science does not care about that, but our morality and conscience might

[David Beaulieu]

Good way to break that nostalgia bubble and fix conservatives maybe.

[Paul Jay]

Watching this video was a true paradigm shifting moment for me. It was amazing how as they spoke about neuroplasticity I would think about how this might be connected to certain mental/psychological traits and then they would talk about it 5 minutes later. Amazing.

[Simply Apiny]

Wow I’ve had so many epiphanies through out the entire program ✨✨ Validating many of my theories that I ponder on with curiosity and in a reverse engineering type of way,. Like the saying “practice makes perfect” I’ve always whole heartedly believed this, time and time again proves to be true, it’s fascinating understanding the science behind it all. Truly a mind is a terrible thing to waste the human potential is endless…..❤️

[Hemant Rai]

I suffered 2 scars after herpes encephalitis 4 years back and had to leave job of automation engineer due to loss of 85 % memory , but with repeated practice of managed neuro plasticity exercise I am now living normal life .

[Ekaterina]

@Rob Aldrich maybe he got upset that accepting Jesus doesn't do anything at all! Just look how accepting Jesus 1200 years ago by the Ukrainian people has helped them? Wish you all the best!

[DandyGrand]

@Saras Watkinnicely done dropping a buzzword but it's not diversity when it's printed on all the money, and is the reported religion of almost every government official.

[MyOther Username]

@Darel Butler yeah, where?

[Kenneth Ihrig]

All of this science makes perfect sense. Makes me happy but jealous of the generation to come. I have been extremely interested in many venues of science but always had trouble with learning. This will bring about many minds of science in the future.

[DandyGrand]

While I absolutely hear you on the "scientific jealousy", I'm pretty we wouldn't be jealous of most everything else about living on this planet in future generations....

[Woolldogg]

@xXmeanyheadXx could of told me this 20 years ago haha

[xXmeanyheadXx]

believe in yourself. don't believe in people who tell you you can't do something. you can do anything you set your mind to, literally. you can do it. sincerely, a future amateur neuroscientist

[Alpha Centauri]

You can still learn. Jealousy is a waste of energy. It is actually the openness to learn that is the most powerful. Clearing out the mental clutter (the constructs, conditioning, and narratives) that inhibit learning are key. Finding your individual modalities for learning is important too. Our mindset is powerful. Belief is what precedes anything, positive or negative…it’s rarely even the truth, but we live out whatever belief is the strongest. Our subconscious is so powerful, it controls 95% of our behaviors (and beliefs). Uncovering that is empowering.

[Don Nichols]

Nim, in discussing early childhood plasticity uses terms such as difficulty, challenges and trauma with the same degree of influence based solely on the experience. These terms hold a significant measure of difference both in subject and according to the childs character/personality

[Michael Lawson]

So long as the mind admits it doesnt know and wonders , it will always ask questions and be curious , sometimes going to great lengths to find out . If that is the case then we will never stop learning . The only difference between adult learning and childhood learning is that most of the latter is under duress . If the duress reaches the stage of cruelty then the mind tends to not want to learn it and as a result one can fail a subject due to the harshness of the teacher , and not because the youngster is stupid or the subject is very difficult . I learnt a lot at school but a heck of a lot more after I left , despite having had a matchbox size piece of my left temporal lobe ( main gyrus ) removed shortly after I left school in 1985 . It was to cure epilepsy and was 100 % . What puzzles me the most is that I dont understand how I managed to retain EVERY ability I had before and lose absolutely NOTHING . I still ask myself to this day ..............If the brain cells were each and every light bulb on earth and the wires to each were the neuro transmitters , and you cut out maybe 6 to 8 % of the wiring , then how come every bulb is still burning and none are affected ? I consider it a miracle and most amazing . Maybe it gives the Laws of Irreducible Complexity new meaning .

[davidleesn]

@Michael Lawson thanks again for your modesty. I guess it is what we prune ourselves of the 95% you mentioned that is the result of what ,who and how we are. … continually living out then the dynamics of ‘what we focus on grows ‘… consciously and (mysterious to us because we take it for granted) subconsciously !! positive or negative (like what you said about teaching ….from adults, heroes we worshipped, nurturing environment, cultures…what we love and hate or be angry about and fear…) !! I presume there was sufficient TLC for you to love what you were before your operation to prevent the pruning of the goodness in that life out…. and you had the wisdom not to be dismayed from your loss, rather… make use of the 95% to help you recover from it. Many in your shoes could not do the same and your sharing your story with them or their parents can enhance many …. their quality of life. Would love to encourage you too to learn more about the brains , like Julius Caesar and Napoleon (not that I like what they did !)… , of those who had epilepsy and could control it somewhat… (imagine all the soldiers under their command entrusting their lives to their well timed leadership in the heat of battle !!). [ I was also impressed by a neurosurgeon? cardiologist? who witnessed herself having a stroke and studied it from the inside !!].

[Michael Lawson]

@davidleesn Even though I internalize that question about the brain to itself , it still doesnt want to reveal anything .........lol. Strange though it may be . Im still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that it cannot or will not reveal its own composition/ function to the conscious part of itself so as to inform you what to do about itself . Puzzling enough? Perhaps that challenge was meant to be so as to give itself a greater functional purpose to want to learn thereby giving it more exercise, purpose and meaning to itself. On the other hand , if each brain cell has 500 nerve endings protruding from it and only 5 % are connected due to stimulus then the remaining 95 % will be of no use. With so little potential of only 5 % I dont think it bothers to understand itself but with 95 % it would be massively intelligent and then perhaps self revealing. Dont take anything I write seriously. Im merely speculating and really know nothing of neurology other than having been a patient once upon a time.

[davidleesn]

wow… Scientific American magazine I read many years ago quoted the difference in the brains of identical twins , one of whom developed schizophrenia….(brain full of ‘holes’)… could it be that you caught the critical period of development or generated new ones unlike the cataract in the young …one of the speakers [ Cara ?] pointed out !?

[Nathan Gurevitch]

Answers the question of energy retaining information after falling into a black hole tho🤯

[Adam Beatty]

Perhaps you were subconsciously accessing those areas of the brain of which stored certain information and thereby maintained its structure or perhaps there's some deficiency that prevented pruning. perhaps there was some subtle acknowledgement between the tasks in your life and how they could be applied to pass knowledge and skills in a lateral capacity. I've noticed a staunch difference between certain people's memory retention as well as the ability to forget. I once heard a neurologist say that the ability to forget is perhaps more useful than the ability to remember because of the sheer amount of information that comes in every moment of our lives. I also know people with tremendously powerful memories that have trouble forgetting past traumas and it effects the smoothness of their life in the present and limits their future. The ability to adapt is extremely important and if you live long enough and what you're saying is indeed true, you will likely hit a wall but you'll probably die before you get that chance to put it to the test tsotsi sort of prediction that must be chalked up to anecdotal.

[DJOANNA E. DUCO vlog]

Being curious at all times like a child can enhance cognitive development especially to adults.

[Abshir]

@DJOANNA E. DUCO vlog that is the truth. The problem people have is, not thinking about their lives by themselves and ask questions about everything and be curious but to conform to the society and the dominant opinions of the population wether it is their religion, their perception of life etc. So I invite you to believe the One and Only God Allah who has no partners and no children. Who is the owner of everything that is in the heavens and the earth. He sent many prophets like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed (peace be upon all of them) with one message and that's to believe Allah alone and to worship him. And this world is a test. That is why horrible things are happening all over the world. it's people's doing and Allah will judge them on the judgement day. Those who believed Allah alone, were righteous, will enter eternal paradise and those who were evil by not believing God by killing other people, used to fornicate, used to steal, used to follow the lies instead of the truth and follow all kinds of desires from their bad self will enter eternal hellfire. Thank you.

[DJOANNA E. DUCO vlog]

Curiousity is a basic element of our cognition.

[Abshir]

How is that so? Please can you explain

[Daniel Martin]

Yeah, I'm actually pretty much there. I've always been there. The big problem is that with such plasticity, I can learn new things quickly and easily even at my age but it's nearly impossible to form habits. Without habits you can't mow the lawn or pay your bills or keep a constant sleep schedule or take your medications or lots of other things. After I do ANYTHING for a time, I get tired of it and want to change. The one thing I've been able to stick with for most of my life is computer programming but that's slipping away now. I don't want to do it anymore. I want to write a book and compose some music now. Also, with memory. In order to learn new things, I'm really good at forgetting old things. They're right, there's a trade-off.

[mariav1234]

@Debra Victoria Hi Debra, python is as easy as Fortran. My first python book was "The quick python book", by N. Ceder, but there are lots of other great options out there. Look on youtube too.

[Debra Victoria]

@mariav1234 Is Python as easy to learn as Fortran? I'm a few years older than you and a guy at work, in the 70s, was teaching it to me. Had nothing to do with my job, but was interesting at the time.

[mariav1234]

@🚢 Ship There are wonderful videos on programming in KZbin. Try to learn Python programming. It is a wonderful programming language. I have programmed in several languages and Python is my favorite one (among the ones have not died or almost died, such as FORTRAN).

[Mila]

You might have ADHD. There's nothing wrong with your motivation! I have ADHD and I cut gluten and feel more focused.

[Buck Rogers]

Are people who are racist or prejudicial become less contextual plastic? Being more CP will make us less judgmental. And will it make us more "happy"? In any case, I really super enjoyed this talk. And the part about the brain pretesting its circuitry is truly a marvel. So it seems human development is not just simply "pouring of concrete".

[Jeremy Thompson]

I enjoyed this one quite a bit, it tends to be in the area of my field as well. Which if I could choose someone to see again on here it would be Nim Tottenham, because I liked her take on the subjects.

[Elizabeth Steele]

A fascinating and well presented discussion . I found particularly interesting the topic of critical periods of brain development . I've often wondered if there is a percentage of adults who have experienced considerable adversity in childhood and somehow , miraculously managed to thrive not only in spite of that adversity but almost because of it . Of course this perhaps hypothetical person would need to possess enormous resiliency . Thank you for the excellent lecture .

[WeAreAlive]

I did that. When I was a child adversity compelled me to build resilience and self belief. I used to talk to myself in silence most of the times in my head or loudly if I find an empty space. I literally had to train encourage myself to live to not give up. There was no one who encouraged me or helped me even with a kind word or two.Only in my Schools I had received appreciation for my talent and determination as I had always been a first ranker. It was a miracle I would say. I never had any one backing me up, it was me all alone. No encouragement, only hindrance and criticism and harsh words I used to get which wounded me and hurt me to this day whenever I recall that part of my life it was long since childhood to teenage. No body would support me that I can study they said you should not and you cannot. They said you have to finish all work at house and then if you get time you can but you have to be available whenever we have work. Also they said they will assign me so much work that I will never get time and hence not study. Those days I had trained my brain myself to belief in myself and love myself alone. Everybody at house said I am fool mediocre since I was born and no body would educate me. But slowly that child was deciding to back herself up. In my training to myself I learnt to believe and unleash my potential. As a result I was the first topper and had the highest performance in school. People who gave me so much pain were all in shock. Then I competed my engineering with medals and awards and was recruited in an MNC in university Campus. I’ve been able to support the less privileged since then. Back then I didn’t know What I was going through is neuro plasticity. So I always say we have immense potential inside. We need to unleash it. Foremost is believing you can.

[Vigil 4Jesus]

@Elizabeth Steele I went through trauma all my childhood. Studying and reading kept me going. In fact it steered me. I thank God that I am alive and well. Yes adversity does shape us, its transforming but I think the path of life may be determined by a lot of other factors....nature, nurture and so on. Loved your comment. God bless you. 😊

[Elizabeth Steele]

@chinookvalley Amazing . What a beautiful story . I can't imagine that kind of strength , especially in children and carrying through to a happy and loving adulthood . And to think that two persons with similar challenges and exceptional resiliency found each other . You are blessed to have spent your most formative years with them , aside from the fact that they were probably great to be around , for you and for anyone else who knew them . I consider my question as having been answered - in the affirmative !

[chinookvalley]

My parents were both orphaned during the Great Depression. They had to fight for their lives. Nothing came easily. Living on the streets. Getting passed from one family to someone else. I think of what they must have endured... yet they were happy, loving, successful, and enthusiastic. Dad passed at 91, mom at 87. At the times of their deaths they were sharp and focused. Amazing.

[radwizard]

Learning Physics in my 40s at a Top Ten school in the subject. I will admit, I am slower than I used to be. Hope I can get through it. Wonder if I should try Valproic acid. I have done a deep dive into the research of this subject and what I can do as a normal old dude. So far, I have seen the following. Cardio 2.5 hours in the week. Running helps with memory. Correct exercise and sleep. Also, Mindful Meditation. All of these have studies that back increased learning and focusing by targeting the Hippocampus. I have also recently read that Dancing helps too. I love break dancing.... but may have to stay with up-rocking instead of power moves and down-rocks. I'm not 16-22 anymore. Hope this helps. Open to any other information anybody can share. I'm serious about finishing this degree.

[Lou Armstrong]

So how did it turn out?

[Davison (DavisonVideo)]

You think 40something is old? lol. Maybe correct that limiting thought, hehe... ☮️

[davidleesn]

Gradually developing without rushing yet as 24/7 as possible …. the sensitivity to learn what helps and what hinders by wriggling through new adaptations, spiralling through like electro-magnetic waves through opposite polarities in positions without losing the underlying direction of any spectrum…that taiji ☯️ as an approach ….has taught me to grow: it is the balance between focus and paring off (EXCESSES ?!!)that they highlighted here - to acquire like in vocabulary of language learning ( including the 2 universal ones of music and mathematics) [like hoarding] and pairing in usage and application [like recycling before discarding ] that should be constantly practised and refined into the lean machine (like icons for meaning )that we humans are before the epidemic of obesity arrived… as one would only used the appropriate application/s in sequence at any one time… even seemingly multitasking when observed from the outside….! ( film animation of sonic hog illustrate this last point well ?!!)

[radwizard]

Oh of course, and hey mention all of this at the end of the talk. lol Okay cool.

[patricia griffin]

Such an interesting talk each one of the these experts has a part of the answers most humans are searching for

[Eric Taylor]

2:00 This is why child abuse is so devastating. If a child is neglected and/or abused, it keeps those connections that help it in the abusive environment, but it loses those connections that would have allowed it to learn to be a normal, social human being. By the time it is a teenager, that child will not be able to form normal social relations, and what it learned to survive (fight or hide) will be worse than useless. The child will be unable to form normal social relations, and his or her behavior (fighting or hiding) will be harmful to those around them. If you want to destroy someone's potential, abuse them as a child. In many ways child abuse is even worse than outright murder. If you murder someone you simply end their existence. This is bad enough, but if you abuse a child then you destroy that person's ability to be as happy as they otherwise would have. You actually destroy not only the child's life, but you also have a share in the responsibility in the destruction of the lives that abused child will go on to destroy.

[Lou Armstrong]

@Eric Taylor my earliest memory is being left alone in a crib for the longest time....I was the youngest of eight kids but grew up lonely and very socially awkward....it wasn't abuse but neglect and I am still paying for it....maybe working on the subconscious and affirmations will help....

[bumbleboo twiddletoes]

@ThriceGreat it doesn't imply the inability to change... It implies that it's far more difficult. Everyone is different. We can't make general statements that apply to everyone, but we can observe what most people's experiences are.

[bumbleboo twiddletoes]

@Gothic Girlfriend I feel your pain. Many do. 💙💚💛

[bumbleboo twiddletoes]

@Rob Aldrich "social justice warrior", as you use it, seems to be an "insult" hurled at someone who is leagues more intelligent than you'll ever be. You're likely jealous and will never admit it. I dare you to not insult me.

[bumbleboo twiddletoes]

@BlueYoshi 👍👍

[Terry Reynoldson]

@21:45 This happened to me: I was born with one eye that would not align with the other and so my brain resolved the confusion by shutting off the signals from that eye; I've been blind in that eye ever since ☹️

[davidleesn]

A similar case in a young child learnt violin playing through the Suzuki mother tongue method of hearing first and her eyes corrected themselves in two years, she played in an orchestra in a few more years of learning after that. It maybe like the cataract operation mentioned here ( not knowing your age )… but Terry, no harm in closing your eyes and learn music by ears IF YOU LOVE MUSIC…. (start singing or whistling then on to simple instruments like tin whistle or recorders…and see what happens…like doing brain gym exercises… I would get professional supervision… at least monitoring…should anything happens… especially e.g. driving ! The usual disclaimer applies…!

[Rissy Rose]

You can learn anything at age as long as you are willing learn and have people around you who believe that you can :)

[Brandon Evans]

It’s always interesting to hear the brain talk about the brain. 🤯

[Nibrata12]

The point of meditation is to have wisdom on self. Working out and eating healthy is self love and acceptance. I enjoy how holistic this talk is. (🌚3️⃣3️⃣)

[Thomas Schön]

How about the octopus that might be matching our brain capacity? It can learn complex tasks and has an cognitive awareness and its eight brains has been developed from scratch on a totally different evolution tree than humans. It has also shown things as gratitude. It's the closest thing to an alien lifeform we can come. If the evolution of mother nature hadn't caused the octopus mother to die after giving birth it could have passed its experiences to the next generation. As it is now a octopus has to start from scratch every time. The octopus might have matched humans without going through years of childhood if they weren't doomed to start all over again as empty sheets each time. I guess a human wouldn't perform much better under the same circumstances.

[Knock Hello]

Dolphin rumble and crumble yeah

[Theresa Buckles]

Thank you for taking the time to create and expand our education !

[Yesenia Robles]

It’s starts with willingness first. You can’t force anyone to learn if they don’t want to.

[1000 Siskos]

In a nut shell, you can change your mind, your mind continues to change depending on your stimulation. You can form new habits. Learning is life long.

[Nina Prokop]

Has anybody noticed the fact that for us to develop like this comparing to other animals, we would either have to had been alive for a lot longer than scientists say or had some kind of accelerator?

[Eric Taylor]

I'm sure we have all experienced that feeling, after struggling to understand some new concept, of finally understanding that concept. It is something you might call, "Oh, I see now." I wonder how many times, from the time we are born until we understand what "Oh, I see now." means in whatever language we grow up with. This is a feeling I had much more often as a child, mainly because so many concepts were new then, then I feel it now, but I don't remember the first time it happened.

[Eric Taylor]

@Debra Victoria That's the problem. They teach to the test, not to give others new knowledge.

[Debra Victoria]

Sounds like what happened to me, after a math test. A little too late to get it.🙃

[M Frusciante]

I'm in my 40's now, and it's a bit rare but I still have those moments. It's usually after long progressive research + thought on a subject. Like spending time really trying to figure something out, eventually it clicks, as if your subconscious has filled in the gaps and given you the understanding. Sometimes it takes years, but I think it depends on complexity of the subject, your effort and flexibility of thought. Like u say I think as we age we put ourselves in positions like this less and less, compared to our youth, so the aha moments are more rare but still possible.

[Zippyser]

I don't think I really had aha moments as a child. As a kid literally nothing clicked. It was like throwing sand at at a bag full of oranges. Then I hit 20 and everything started to click all of a sudden. All those things that weren't really explained to me well just boom I understood. I wonder if such phases can be delayed.

[Eric Taylor]

@Julia In what field did you earn a Bachelor of Science.... Unless... Oh, are you referring to "Bullshit"?

[Avi]

As someone whose mother has lost some swallow and speech abilities because of a brain stroke...we've been waiting for a year for neuroplasticity to kick in...for some kind of regeneration or load-balancing by the healthy neurons...

[Laycan Crow]

I agree that emotional intelligence, as emotional regulation is one of the ways the human mind will transcend.

[Kent Pirate]

The problem with resulting that the plant has a memory when it stops closing when dropped is that it could be anything, such as an exhaustion of mechanism, accepting no difference is made accepting, suicidal through trauma even. It could be going too far suggesting the plant processes the result and reluctance then decides not to abandon protective measures again.

[Luam Fernandez]

I guess older people are happier because of worse neuroplasticity. When you're used to an environment and a good new thing comes you become happier, but as time passes your brain turns that thing into normal, then for older people's brain it's harder due to the neuroplasticity deficit.

[E Lancaster]

I suffered a major brain injury in june 2020, had to get chunks of my skull removed from my brain. I had to relearn how to live again at 43. Started treatment with psilocybin within a month of the injury. Went from not knowing who or where I was every morning to back to a normal life for the most part in 13 months. Within the next year I should be back to work as a journeyman carpenter. Psilocybin helps with neurogenisis. It gave me my life back

[Tom]

Wow

[Июльское Утро]

every time I used it, it's like I understand more and more about myself, the environment around me, about social connections and the purpose of life. haven't used it for ≈ 2 years and I reality seems like a mess again, in a way. great substance. people need to study it more for sure.

[Hal Magee]

What are your thoughts on how someone can have a traumatic brain injury, and, upon recovery, have the ability to play intricate piano pieces, without any formal training?

[IgA]

@BlueYoshi Anytime mein friend

[BlueYoshi]

@IgA Very good😁! Thanks

[IgA]

@BlueYoshi That's okay BlueYoshi! Your English is far better than my German. I'll tidy it up for you because I enjoyed your comment :) "After a traumatic brain injury, depending on the nature and location, patients may experience things like decreased memory (short and/or long-term), affected speech ability and so forth. But, because these affected brain areas are no longer viable to blood flow, the 'healthy' portions of the brain may receive increased blood flow, in such a way that allows for extra nourishment and growth. In the case of sudden-onset of unexplained exceptional musical ability post-recovery, if the parietal lobes of the brain and their connections are preserved that would help explain this phenomenon. The parietal lobe region is heavily involved in visual, spatial-orientation and sensory perception, and likely to be significant contributors." Hope I preserved the essence of your comment! Much love

[BlueYoshi]

The brain is damaged and for whatever reason the person who had the brain injury. Some things like are decreased liek short/longterm memory, speech ability social intelligence and so on. But because those brain areas are weakened the bloodflow to other areas are increased. In this case it would be the areas for Visual thinking and sensory perception (parietal lobes of the brain). I hope this was satisfying and clear explanation! 👍 (Iam from germany so my english may not be that good).

[Imad Choucair]

Amazing. As we worry about our cognitive abilities and we want to be “smarter" we see the majority around us care much less about that. They seek more power and money.

[Secular Humanist]

Inspiring & hopeful! Those scientists lead the way!

[Brian F]

I loved this talk. Thank you for posting this.

[JustinFlix]

I think after 'maturity' the brain maintains reserve plasticity which may be different for different individuals.

[Sherri Taylor]

I noticed that when I start a new job/career I’m able to learn things more easily. I’m wondering if it’s all the right pieces… I’m passionate, I have little stress over learning but I have a feeling of agency. And I’m almost 64.

[Becky Weaver]

You’re lucky because I didn’t realize it but I’m having a hard time learning new things and it got worse after I got Covid. I’m 65 now but I’m going back to school to get a masters degree and then I’m going to study Blockchain.

[Alison Inchausti]

I wonder whether other species of hominids had childhoods as long as ours considering that the level of brain complexity necessary for their survival must have been significantly less.

[UFO's interfacing from childhood the real ones..]

UFO

[Silvia van der Heiden]

Occurred to me the hard thing might just be to unlearn things we have been living and reconditioning our whole lives; like ways of interpreting and our behavior . Seems so obvious but we have huge blindspots there on how far that reaches.... ‘Run-off’-patterns and habits...

[ali badawee]

Is the brain able to keep all the Synapses in the learning Phase and make the inefficient synapses efficient to use them all ? and if yes ! does it mean that the brain can learn/do everything in this case ?

[R Ramdohr]

I think Valproate is the one they're talking about in the perfect pitch study, in case anyone's curious.

[Lis Engel]

Optimistic info of the dynamic balance of plasticity- stability for learning and enhancing the brain. I have a question : of course I understand the focus on the brain as very interesting, but what about thinking of the brain- heart- mind- world and synkinaesthetic training ( the sensuality of movement and states of consciousness ) ? I think it is a very important way of keep our ways of experience much more open and alive ( a bit like honoring your eternal curious child )

[davidleesn]

Tried FREE dancing with eyes closed in a safe area with no restrictions Lis (don’t forget to feel and hear your heartbeat changing appropriately while doing this )? We did this with primary school children… music on … run around freely without bumping into each other … then stay in one place suitably distanced… close eyes and keep dancing near the one spot (safely… ) have fun (very important… breathe and enjoy loosening up every tensed up part)!! Humans (and animals??!) have been educating brain circuitry since we were primitive tribes …then banding together in various gregarious celebrations with communal projects like Stone-henge, pyramids and now our endless array of satellites 📡 🛰 looking outwards to beyond space with James Webb satellite and inwards e.g. weather-wise… is that not a fuller picture of who we are from the inside out ??

[Benford Cameron]

I am now 66 and I have been living like a 17 year old since I was 17, I would not change this flexibility for anything.

[thr0ttl3j0ck3y]

I've noticed how lots of people just stop learning things. That's the one thing I've trained my mind to do best, change.

[John Rogan]

Hard wiring!

[T M]

Lean into resistance. Push yourself a little harder each time to rewire or wire undeveloped abilities. Enhance your capacity to learn by: 1. Meditating habitually 2. Eating healthy food in moderation 3. Getting a full sleep 4. Applying a growth mindest

[mayssam richani]

It’s a great talk giving credit to talk therapy and meditation. Visualization is accredited

[EXPLOSIVA 🕷️]

🤔🤳✨ very good video. I'm very happy to learn how hard they are trying to understand my brain 🧠 😂

[Thomas De Lello]

I have a question about Neuroplasticity that is very important to me. What are the critical correlations and consequences of premature birth to human neuroplasticity...? Does a premature child have neuroplasticity issues because of it...? I expect that you're going to tell me that enough research money has yet to be allocated for that.

[Tony Oak]

Alvaro is like me. We both snipped a few brain synapses that keeps us from speaking English.

[FrancoisStrength]

I knew my autism is a superpower. I can surf really well, and I can lift 300kg on deadlift. But some things in life are super hard for me.

[muthukumaranl]

Excellent one! Thank you WSF!

[Acode7940]

Some of this is already known. Feldenkrais therapy, for instance, in which the somatic brain is "talked to" by the soma (body) in retraining brain relationship to body. There is surely some brain plasticity involved there. And we had, at least through Ericson, empirically derived models of stages of mevelopmet/maturation of the child, apparently correlated with brain stages. (THAT would be something if they were NOT!) Which-- brain, genetics, environment, factor XYZ-- is cause, which effect, which correlate? What if the same kind of relationship (e.g., soma talks to somatic brain), exists, for instance, using the eyes to talk to and repattern or reprogram vision AND even its pathologies? Just as Feldenkrais (a physicist--interesting isn't it?) demonstrated a previously unknown way of the body affecting brain affecting body, perhaps we just don't yet know HOW to do the eye one. There is breathwork and correcting the jaw for asthma and allegies. Of course, these therapies show no promise , as does neuroscience, for the further aggrandizement of the pharmaceutical industriy with their dominance and huge profits, to say nothing of their short-circuiting of the discovery of more body-plasticity forms of healing., It could be said, well those more natural forms have had thousands of years to show up and have failed to do so. But I would say I would like to see how well they would fare now if they accrue as many research dollars as is now "invested" in neuroscience. Maybe those forms come into being and are passed over and lost again and againaround the world because there IS NO PROFIT IN THEM. Or maybe NOW is their time to come to fruition just as many consider nOW is the time for neuroscience to come to fruition, And let us not forget the sobering fact that while making those huge profits for shareholders the pharmacy guys are simultaneously cultivating-- through doctors-through-prescriptions as well as millions, perhaps billions, in advertsing each year----more and more drug dependencies for more and more people. Bah humbug on their "disinterested" independence.

[Random Dude]

Interesting. I wish I had a better organized database than KZbin to get at all these studies and info in a digestible manner

[We need more considerate people like you.]

Try NewPipe. It's an alternative to YTube. It's basically YT premium- so anything on YT, you can access there and you can overlay it with other apps. It's great at compiling stuff and you can organize channels you subscribed to in separate feeds. Downside is- you can see the comments, but not the replies. Also a channel's playlist and community tabs aren't there, you have to search it up or make use of the share button to open on YT.

[Learning through teaching]

Design one

[Taye Tedla]

Random Dude school

[Jay A M]

It looks like the classroom is the worst place for a young child to learn - getting exposed to the same environment everyday.

[James Mason]

@xavierxrc education, healthcare and criminal justice are the three categories that I believe are lagging behind society in the western world. They're all lagging far behind knowledge and need overhauling.

[ISHAAN AGARWAL]

@xavierxrc These things in India, they don't exist

[abusubi]

The classroom should be more dynamic but by no means is a classroom as a functional space a problem.

[Blake Johnson]

The most important parts of the classroom environment are the people. Even if you are an only child you learn how to exist in a human social environment

[XaviusAmericus™]

Worse than Skid Row? (Or St. Louis?)

[Sustainable Hokioi]

I would love to see what Ibogaine would have in this field as it has the ability to restructure the brain from a herbal approach to addictions.

[Nathan Gurevitch]

So would I

[Jim Viau]

My thing is: Always act as if You Could Not Fail! Scary, I know, but utterly motivating

[Michael Rodriguez]

When teaching me how to ride a bicycle, my uncle told me “just do it like you’ve been doing it all your life” and almost instantly I found my balance and rode the bike.

[Jim Viau]

Shreyash Khatker just read the W article. I am definitely getting this book for a night read. Thanks

[Shreyash Khatker]

Read Atlas Shrugged.

[Jim Viau]

Gold and Datura , no, it was L.Ron Hubbard ( Scientology ) . Way back when the CIA hadn't taken over.

[Mary Mary]

Be a fkn outcast , challenge that voice inside your head. Nothing pisses the shadow off more than disobedience

[Carl Jay]

How is it possible then, that I could play all three types of saxophones and three types of electric bass guitars, after having stopped playing for 30 years? It all came back to me in under one year of practice. Touching them actually.

[Moses Rabuka]

“Society tames the wolf into a dog and man is the most domesticated animal of all” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

[Rawg]

I have always been a thinker. But I am seeking advice. When I was younger around 10 to 12 I had a severe accident I had a giant dual tripod engine puller fall from 6 feet and it literally broke my skull, both eye sockets, broke n inverted up most of my teeth, yes I had a few teeth come in inverted. Ok I did get a lot of treatment for a while. But I just don't think I am processing information the same anymore. Everything used to be so easy for me mentally before this. I was considered wierd as I thought myself to read by 1 to 2 yrs of age and was doing complex math by 6. But now I still love to learn but it's has been a struggle ever since. Is there any possibility that someone with Neuroplasticity traing still checking this site after 2yrs. If so, is there anything I can do.

[Random Monkey]

Nim Tottenham is not to old to learn how to articulate her speech without waving her hands about in the air. Great video.

[Feynman Schwinger E_MC2]

She's a genius. Hush.

[Cristian Micu]

hands movement adds to send more messages to the audience in ways your linguist skills will never understand

[Pam brook]

I had to watch this for a course at school but was a great talk and quite interesting. I need that pill! haha!

[Mr Bojangles]

I have seen double for 16 years as a result of a head injury. A couple years ago, I researched herbs for cranial nerve regeneration. Taking a combination since, and this debilitating condition is nearly gone. Think this could also be the cure for many other neurodegenerative conditions.

[Adam Beatty]

Well that's great news! I'm happy for you! If that's something that helps I hope whoever has the resources looks into it.

[Tim Early]

Mr Bogangles: That's fantastic! Would you share what herbs helped you and where this information is found? I've had head impacts and severe oxygen deprivation. *Thank you*

[Dustin Bodie]

such a good talk. 👍 from what they are saying it seems that they still don't really know much about our minds work.

[roro farsoun]

I admire how you were able to get that much complexity in lingo but i got the base thanks amazing

[roro farsoun]

That was so true funny

[Aniruddh Badnikar]

Thank you for details and support and cooperation and nice councelling and motivation

[Jennifer Sandowsky]

I am interested in learning more about the reticular formation fiber pathway system as a potential player in Schizophrenia?

[Hi Kevin]

Wish we could program our minds like in the Matrix to become an expert instantly.

[Transparent Feline]

The mind could never comprehend literally everything if it doesn't know what it doesn't know 😉

[JeKijkbuis]

Where is the fun in that. I think it's pretty boring to instantly know it all. Nothing left to learn and all that.... Not knowing, makes life worth living for.

[brar soler]

This remember the "Cinderella Man" real based story film. " He believes that while his right hand was broken, he became more proficient with his left hand, improving his in-ring ability" (Wiki). Or say he was submmited to an accidental "dock-therapy" in his muscles and neurons.

[tamann7]

Early childhood adversity. When the child or children has someone who believes them and helps them be safe and not develop victim mentality. They develop to their ability as far as I can tell. Or maybe better.

[S Ford]

Why would anyone slow this down. This is obviously the way humanity will go. It has the highest payoff. From many perspectives, to the greatest competition, make your children great.

[Insect0man]

9 out of 10 Uberdoctors agree!

[Jennifer Gamayao Deletina]

Thank for sharing your thoughts and knowledge

[aidari rivera]

Adults have mentors too, not only small kids. Really a person is not as mature until 30 years old. I have read the brain keeps developing and formatting until we are 30 years old.

[Reprogramming Mind]

Talk starts at 5:16

[Christine Filippelli]

Thx!

[Jesus Guerrero]

Min 25:00 its like remembering what you see or as your seeing its being stored in your brain first than you remember the realization.

[life42theuniverse]

9:00 Life is something evolved it isn't perfect. There are many things that are inefficient but good enough to allow reproduction. For the birth of a new generation, better brains are not 'required' nor is perfect health.

[Br Lb]

You dont need to be an expert to experience this. Nature, environment forces one to become something, and you thrive to survive. You adobt and change, so does your brain.

[Suhas Singh]

Keep on learning folks..We were there long ago..

[Bringer of Change]

Just need to consciously be aware of changes, and accept them dispite prior knowledge. It happens subconsciously in children, but with this knowledge, I think one would deduce that we can consciously control the brain and deliberately change it.

[Harris Ibrahim]

I am not overly in favor of intervention to enhance naturally sound brain. As admirable as the work covered here is, I would like to see research to help young people find their natural career, which would mean tailoring their education so they can hit the ground running without trial and error, which cost them time, money, energy and sometimes leave them with self doubt.

[Joseph C]

why would one not want to enhance their own cognitive capabilities regardless of method, natural or artificial?

[Truth Be Told]

‘It’s a brilliant design by Mother Nature’ love to know more about Mother Nature, how does she do it..how is she so clever. So the holy grail should be finding out about this amazing designer called ‘Mother Nature’..can please someone tell me more about her😂

[Huda Burhan]

@Truth Be Told , actually scientists will not tell you and I the truth. They're scared to say the "G" word. The actual creator of the whole universe. The Most High, God is the only one who's worth of our gratitude. We call him "Allah" He has no son nor daughter, He is one and self-sustaining, He doesn't need us but we all need Him. He's our lord and He created everything, to Him we belong and to Him we shall return. The best place to know about Allah is the holy Quran.

[Jesse Paraguya]

A very important and commendable discussion on Neuroplasticity. The scientists involved imparted so much knowledge that mankind should aggressively pursue and implement. Thank very much for this podcast.

[angel ruth]

Trip_world1 ???

[angel ruth]

ON Instagram

[angel ruth]

I recommend you hit up this legit plug online drugstore ship to any location they're realiable they got lsd dmt spores micro dose and other psychedelic stuffs

[X etrius]

[29:52] I strongly disagree and would expect it to be connected with the way a child or a group of children's create a shared game. Those that end up creating the game are logically more plastic thinkers, their task requires it. But then they grow up and "Hello world" of the elder children's game, the children are then presented to the game of life, but some children already created their own ideal from a strong foundation and can see discrepancy and intolerances. Not all will succeed to hold on to their own observations and creations in (their unique stubborn autistic way) mostly because of group pressure, the monetary system and quick fix laws.

[gemma stone]

Very cool discussion... :) Thank you all o/

[Brandon Sager]

Ten years ago I got into a bad car accident and was in a coma for a few months was dead multiple times. Have a TBI from it. After the accident I put myself through alot not understanding intil I started reading and just doing my own research abt the brain. Because its are harddrives and to understand that my brain will be different because it. And this is the best way to have proof that the brain can heal itself in a way to my mother and fiancé. And also being more active and natural with my diet and hygiene. Its actually mindblowing pun intended

[Account]

51:30 People may claim that our capacities such as working memory or processing speed can be improved by evoking neurogenesis, 51:37 but the data only shows that repetitive action (practice) only improves proficiency at the particular task, say being a fast cashier, not the fundamental cognitive skills behind the task, working memory and processing speed for example.

[Nina goodwill]

Hmm the old adage practice makes perfect comes to mind

[Beauty Vibes]

😢🥺🥺

[Curt Coller]

Absolutely correct!

[gaia inanna]

Very interesting panel. Thanks !

[Six Miles Tall]

I’d like to see a combination of brain study and “Born to Run” theory

[Curt Coller]

First: Thank you for the name inserts! Second: the "closing of doors" is not final. It can be reversed and learning improved even in mature brains. Interesting would be to find the quantum biological reasons for keeping synapsis open or others closed. Third: NIM is a very intelligent young lady. Please reduce the amount of "so" in your statements. Last: When she talks about the "dependency phase" of human children compared to animals, she forgets to mention a clear relationship between the expected lifespan! Elefants and whales for example spend also year with their children. What destroys most open synapsis are bad teachers in school - and there is plenty of supply. In general: the need for reduction of parental dependency arises always with the sexual maturity. But all that only applies to mammals. It would be important to do the opposite of what's done in our society now! Not reduce the power of parents and increase the power of institutional education, doing the opposite unless it is really proven when and how parents do things wrong. Most of them - I can tell you - don't.

[Kyst Studio - Epic Art Adventure]

The initial evolution of the AI started with writing itself, evolved to telegraphing, to telephone, to computers.

[Mary Mary]

I use to be astonished by scientist knowledge.... until I started meditating.... when you meditate you become a scientists / a philosopher / a psychologist

[HLS llc]

Theta waves

[HotMessMom TV]

Is this why meditation is so geared towards getting to that sweet spot of the theta-like brain wave patterns, since that's similar to that of children? To open up the possibility of reprogramming?

[EatSleepDrumRepeat]

This is awesome 👍

[SEAN D MAcCORMACK.]

I love this talk on neuroplasticity the future of thinking 🤔 is yours .

[rufo dsouza]

Alvaro Pascual-Leone is awesome

[M Frusciante]

I wish they'd covered savants. Specifically aquired savant syndrome.