NEUROPLASTICITY: Your Brain's Hidden Power
- Marcela Emilia Silva do Valle Pereira Ma Emilia
- Aug 12
- 5 min read
💡 Neuroplasticity: The Brain’s Invisible Superpower
If I told you that your brain is capable of transforming itself every single day, would you believe me? 🤯
For a long time, people believed that after a certain age, the brain was “done” and unchangeable — a myth that science has strongly debunked.
Today we know that the brain is a dynamic, adaptable organ in constant change. This phenomenon has a name: neuroplasticity — the ability of the nervous system to modify its structure and functioning in response to experience, learning, and even injury.
🧠 1. What is neuroplasticity?
Simply put, neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to create, strengthen, weaken, or reorganize connections between neurons (synapses) throughout life.
This means that every new skill learned, every challenge faced, every new adaptation made, or even each repeated habit leaves physical marks on your brain. It is constantly redrawing its own circuits to adapt to current demands.
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to allow habit changes — for better or worse. This happens at the cellular level through the strengthening of a neuron that was unused, underused, or replaced by a new neuron, creating the exchange of electrical charges between it and another responsible neuron so that a given behavior happens more regularly than usual, leaving that “path” imprinted.
Once this path is imprinted, that habit is hard to change. It will require a lot of mental and personal effort — and again depend on the same structures and neuronal restructuring.
📌 Scientific definition: “Neuroplasticity is the capacity of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections.” (Pascual-Leone et al., 2005)
🔬 2. How does it happen?
Neuroplasticity occurs mainly through four mechanisms:
Synaptic strengthening – the more a neural pathway is used, the stronger and more efficient it becomes, turning into a habit.
Synaptic pruning – unused connections are weakened or eliminated. Since we are babies, we develop many neural connections, but over time the body notices that many are not important, so pruning occurs, freeing resources for other functions.
Neurogenesis – the generation and development of new neurons, most of which do not survive, in some regions of the central nervous system (CNS) such as the hippocampus. It was once believed that it was not possible to generate new neurons throughout life.
Synaptogenesis – the production of synapses, integration units between nerve cells; this process of neural connection begins at birth and requires stimuli from the social environment.
💡 Think of the brain as a city: busy streets get wider and better paved, while little-used paths disappear or change direction.
🚀 3. Why is it a “superpower”?
The ability to learn new technologies, adapt to new cultures, rehabilitate physically, and change patterns — these are some of the superpowers that neuroplasticity has given mammals. 🦸♀️🦸♂️
In addition to the traditional benefits already mentioned, the brain’s real magic is in adapting to new realities when we are forced to, including, unfortunately, traumatic events.
Neuroplasticity is a phenomenon that allows new learning to be absorbed in all aspects of adaptation and readaptation, and when necessary, offers the capacity for recovery — or even healing in some situations.
How neuroplasticity helps recovery:
Reconnecting neural pathways:
Neuroplasticity allows individuals to reshape their brain’s structure and connections. This may involve collapsing areas affected by trauma or “collapsing old paths” so new ones can be created to promote emotional regulation, memory consolidation, and overall well-being.
Building resilience:
By engaging in practices that promote neuroplasticity — such as meditation, therapy, and meaningful activities — people develop resilience and coping mechanisms to better deal with traumatic events.
Strengthening the prefrontal cortex:
Mainly through therapy, it’s possible to “train” the neural pathways of the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for rational thinking and decision-making — improving emotional regulation and giving greater emotional control.
Enhancing hippocampal functions:
Promoting neuroplastic brain activities also improves hippocampal functional capacities, thus enhancing memory, learning, and the ability to process and internalize memories of traumatic events.
Re-teaching the amygdala:
Through therapeutic interventions, it’s possible to help the amygdala become less reactive to triggers and stressors, reducing anxiety and fear responses.
Physical reorganization:
With the right therapies, neuroplasticity helps the body reorganize to deal with the loss of a limb, the loss of organ function, or trauma. It promotes the creation of new habits and adaptation to the reality the individual will pursue for the rest of their life.
In short, this ability allows you to learn new skills even in adulthood; overcome trauma and recover functions after brain injury; adapt to changes at work, in relationships, and in life; and change harmful thought and behavior patterns.
📚 4. Practical ways to use and boost neuroplasticity today
Neuroplasticity is behind incredible advancements — and you can use it to develop more skills, change habits you no longer want, or add new ones you value:
• Learning 📖
Go ahead and learn a new language!
Learn to play an instrument! This not only builds neuroplasticity but also develops your neuromotor system.
Go back to studying! Anything… for example, review something you once learned and see what’s new.
Upskill professionally! Knowledge is changing at lightning speed, and the difference is being right there on the rocket. 🚀
• Neurological rehabilitation 🧩
Do regular speech activities, tongue twisters, or sing full songs — they keep your mind healthy and your communication sharp.
Play!!! Memory games, battleship, checkers, chess, spot-the-difference, crosswords… board games and reasoning activities keep the brain sharp — and for stroke or brain injury patients, they are key recovery tools.
• Mental health 💛
Go to therapy, go to therapy, go to therapy!! A psychologist/therapist knows how to treat your triggers, even when you think you don’t have them. Brain health is body health — and emotions need to be treated, not hidden 😉
❌ 5. Mini FAQ: Myths vs. Truths
FAQ: “The brain stops changing after childhood.”
MYTH!!
✅ Truth: it remains plastic for life, although change becomes slower and harder.
FAQ: “Neuroplasticity happens every day.”
✅ Truth: it happens whenever there is any practice different from the individual’s usual routine — even something as small as holding a cup differently. It’s not limited to big changes, but to any small habit shift.
FAQ: “Just think positive to change the brain.”
MYTH!!
✅ Truth: lasting changes require consistent practice and real experiences, not just thoughts.
FAQ: “Neuroplasticity is always good.”
MYTH!!
✅ Truth: bad habits and dysfunctional thoughts also strengthen neural connections.
✅ Conclusion
Neuroplasticity is a powerful reminder: you are never “stuck” with who you are today.
Your brain is malleable, and every action, thought, or experience is an opportunity to shape who you can become.
The “superpower” is already inside you — you just have to learn how to use it. ✨🧠
📖 References• Pascual-Leone, A., et al. (2005). The plastic human brain cortex. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 28, 377–401.• Kolb, B., & Gibb, R. (2011). Brain plasticity and behaviour in the developing brain. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20(4), 265–276.• Merzenich, M. M. (2013). Soft-wired: How the new science of brain plasticity can change your life. San Francisco: Parnassus Publishing.
✅ ConclusionNeuroplasticity is a powerful reminder: you are never “stuck” with who you are today. Your brain is malleable, and every action, thought, or experience is an opportunity to shape who you can become.The “superpower” is already inside you — you just have to learn how to use it. ✨🧠
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