Neuroplasticity

[Gennysmom]

I picked up an interesting new book called "The brain that changes itself", it's about case studies in neuroplasticity, and it's very interesting.  Anyone else seen it or heard of it?  I'm not finished yet, but the first chapter is about a woman who was given too much gentamicin, which destroyed her vestibular system in its entirety, and they "remapped" her brain to help her walk again (the chapter title is called "a woman perpetually falling").  I'm thinking/wondering that there may be something to offer ANers in this field.....

[Raydean]

Hi Kathleen

I get first dibs in the traveling book club!!!   Neuroplasticity is being describe as one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century.  The positive impact of the brain being able to reroute, remap reform newpath ways would greatly improve quality of life issues.  I think that this will be a great read. 

Thanks for sharing this.  I'm enclosing a short explanation of neuroplasticity , since it may be a new concept for some.  It sure holds alot of promise

Hugs
Raydean



Neuroplasticity (variously referred to as brain plasticity or cortical plasticity) refers to the changes that occur in the organization of the brain as a result of experience. A surprising consequence of neuroplasticity is that the brain activity associated with a given function can move to a different location as a consequence of normal experience or brain damage/recovery.

The concept of neuroplasticity pushes the boundaries of the brain areas that are still re-wiring in response to changes in environment. Several decades ago the consensus was that lower brain and neocortical areas were immutable after development, whereas areas related to memory formation, such as the hippocampus where new neurons continue to be produced into adulthood, were highly plastic. Hubel and Wiesel had demonstrated that ocular dominance columns in the lowest neocortical visual area, V1, were largely immutable after the Critical period in development. Critical periods also were studied for language and suggested it was likely that the sensory pathways were fixed after their respective critical periods. Environmental changes could cause changes in behavior and cognition by modifying the connections of the new neurons in the hippocampus. Decades of research have now shown that substantial changes occur in the lowest neocortical processing areas, and that these changes can profoundly alter the pattern of neuronal activation in response to experience. According to the theory of neuroplasticity, thinking, learning, and acting actually change the brain's functional anatomy from top to bottom, if not also its physical anatomy.

American psychiatrist Norman Doidge has called neuroplasticity "one of the most extraordinary discoveries of the twentieth century."[1]
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[Windsong]

Thanks Genny and Raydean....

Great stuff.. the brain does do repairs....

I'm thinking a number of things now:

 that neuroplasticity is part of the reason why some Ans are not found for a while.... ( i know there are lots of reasons  why they may be found later rather than sooner etc.... but the fact that the brain does develop new neural pathways after damage/injury to other parts may even explain why a number of those with Ans compensate enough that they don't necessarily go off to a doctor to find out why they had  their very first symptom(s)..... )

I'm thinking too about the balance issue from Ans....  a number here have mentioned how balance improves with  exercise;  some  have talked about how vision and bare feet  help balance (being more aware of the using of  the muscles in the feet and how darkness affects that when vision changes);  it probably explains why after a vestibular imbalance, the balance improves over time.... i.e. the brain takes/makes new pathways......

Raydean, this does hold lots of promise.... and i love the words used in that explanation...... "immutable" vs "mutable" .....  I first heard those words in connection with a poetry class in high school... ( probably Wordsworth or Keats or Shelley) and,  well, now, i think maybe the brain is poetry too... and in motion  ...

(immutable or mutable meaning  not subject to change or being subject to change:  that which is  alterable or that which is not)

isn't that great  that the brain can forge new pathways? maybe that's why walking and exercise helps the balance issue for Aners over time....
W.

[Raydean]

Thanks Windsong, but it's Kathleen that derserves the credit.  She's so good at finding really interesting stuff. All I did was get first dibs in the Traveling Book Club and did a quick google search.
on "neuroplasticity".  I think the explaination I used was from wiki, but there's alot more on the subjecif you google.

Windsong your ideas are really interesting in how this could relate to AN's.  Could be  that in order to reroute a person may have to "push the envelope"  kinda force the brain to look for new ways. 
I know that Chet regained in a couple of areas (balance and small coordination) years after treatment.  It also tells me not to give up to early, that good things could still happen long beyond the window of opportunity.  We've  seen it alittle on this site where posters have stated improvements beyond the normal expected timeframe.  Could it be rerouting?

It gives hope, especially for those with significant outcomes.  I think the book will be a informative and good read as there are actually case histories in the book.

Thanks Kathleen for bringing up such an interesting subject.

Hugs
Raydean

[Gennysmom]

Here's an interesting link on a subject in the book:

http://www.wicab.us/about/overview.html

Dr. Bach-y-rita passed away last year, but in looking at this, he mentions that this could work on AN patients...but it looks like there's no more clinical trials....anyone else heard of this?

[Gennysmom]

Wow, it's interesting how the buzzword shows up, then it's all over the place.  Dr. Phil just referred one of his guests to "By Dr. Frank Lawlis Psycho Neuro Plasticity Center Dallas, Texas".   

[Raydean]

Been thinking a lot about this and i wonder why AN patients that either fall in the 1 % area. or those with outcomes aren't being referred to Neuro Plasticity Centers.  If they could clearly benefit and regain
lost functions it would improve the over all quality of life.

Secondly, I think this would be an excellent subject for the next symposium.  Wouldn't it be great if a specialist in this area could be a main topic speaker.  Surely Chicago would have this resourse. 

Hugs
Raydean

[nancyann]

This is so interesting/amazing !!  What these scientists can do with the( limited) technology we have !!   Now,  if the government would only take the chains off of stem cell research - how it could help  those who are paralyzed, Parkinson's, etc - heck, I could even get my smile back!!   Rock on scientists, rock on !!

[Windsong]

Hi Gennysmom,

Your link talks about the Brainport, I see. I know very little about that but this thread made me wonder if the electrical stimulation from the brainport may work simply because  when using it the frequencies of parts of the tongue affected by the nerves get changed enough to make a difference.  I know that even DNA has a frequency that is so rapid they can't measure it the last time i read about it.. But studies here and there show that trying to affect certain things in the body with a change in vibration or movement of cells ( and consequently their components) can make a difference in helping some health issues. ... Maybe that's why the tens and similar modes of treatment (spinal cord stimulator for example) work.... maybe it's all about changing the speed at which cells bump around in the body.....

in any case, the brain is a marvellous thing and can "heal" in tiny ways as it creates new pathways to make symptoms lessen or go away...so neuroplasticity is a definite buzzword because it happens even when we aren't aware of it, and then one day we might wake up and realize some things are better than maybe some months ago and so that is good....

thanks for this post too.....
all the best,
W.

Here's an interesting link on a subject in the book:

http://www.wicab.us/about/overview.html

Dr. Bach-y-rita passed away last year, but in looking at this, he mentions that this could work on AN patients...but it looks like there's no more clinical trials....anyone else heard of this?