Brain Plasticity | More Fascinating Experiments

Science Daily reported recently on more experiments about the versatility of the brain to change function.

Until about ten years ago, most scientists believed that each section of the brain had a specialized function.  That was because scientists were aware that senses, for instance, are processed in separate parts of the brain.

One of the most important breakthroughs in science in the last 50 years is the understanding that this in fact is not the case, that the brain is actually a versatile organ with tissue available to be redirected for new purposes if needed, and trained. 

This is brain plasticity and it is a huge discovery.  It means not only that function lost through brain damage in one section can replicated in other parts of the brain, but that even more importantly, there is hope for every struggling learner.  If trained appropriately, new tissue and new pathways can be sparked into action to supplement inefficient or ineffective learning.  Fast ForWord  is one learning software  that relies on this brain behavior, as do a growing number of other neuroscience based interventions.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110228163143.htm