For a long time, it was thought that the brain is relatively stable and consistent over time. Our bodies replace all of their cells, but the brain was not supposed to do the same. Recent studies have shown that to be false, the brain in fact continues to grow and change all the time. In fact, with every experience, every recalled memory, and every thought, the chemistry in the brain changes.

Neuroplasticity is the name of the brains ability to alter itself, an example would be someone that loses one part of the brain responsible for language, but over time another area of the brain adapts to take on the lost functions. But this effect is not only for people that have had brain lesions or trauma, any of us can take advantage. As an article on the Huffington Post notes, we may need to adjust our life-styles:

Stress, lack of sleep, and aging all reduce the natural rate of neurogenesis. Certain medications also restrict new neuron growth. Thuret notes that some cancer patients unexpectedly develop symptoms of depression even after being told they are cured of their cancer. Unfortunately, the drugs they’ve received not only stop cancer cells from multiplying, but also stop “new neurons from being generated in their brain,” she says, which has a negative impact on their mood.

Thankfully we can make the appropriate changes to our lives to take advantage of this. It starts with reducing stress and sleeping well, but includes getting both exercise and sex, and eating the right foods. Check out the full post for all the details.

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