Is the structure of the brain permanently fixed at birth?
Interestingly, new evidence confirms that the brain is constantly changing. The brain operates through a complicated arrangement of nerve cells or neurons. Groupings of neurons accomplish specific tasks. Research shows that neighboring neurons are regularly called on when a person must learn a new task. When the task is mastered, the borrowed neurons go back to other duties. Neuroplasticity is a relatively new word that defines nerve cells ability to change and modify their activities in reaction to changes in their environment. Repetition or practice of a task strengthens the neuronal connections and increases the certainty of a more accurate recall of task activities when needed. As an example, research studies monitoring the brains of violin players by fMRI scans reveal that areas of the brain involved with the left hand (used for fingering) are substantially larger. Thus this part of the brain, the motor cortex, grows to accommodate the demands of learning. Once these skills are ma
