[Note, this is a memory jog meaning it is mostly for my benefit.  Having said that, feel free to read (comment even) on this topic.]

Norman Doidge has written about the science of neuroplasticity or the property of the brain that changes its own structure and functionality in response to activity and mental experience [1, p. 15].  A theme running through his books is how the scientific and medical communities initially embraced a model that the brain was mechanical and inelastic.  In the past few decades have we begun to realize that the brain can use unintended regions to perform tasks lost because of disease, trauma or a birth defect.

Some Interesting People and Key Concepts

Doidge has written or contributed to a number of books on the subject and his most recent is: ‘The Brain’s Way of Healing‘ [1]. In this book he introduces some key concepts and presents a series of case studies of individuals who have overcome adversity to regain control and use of their brain.

Key Concepts

• Neuroplasticity: property of the brain that changes its own structure and functionality in response to activity and mental experience.
• Neurons that Fire Together, Wire Together: a core law of neuroplasticity that states repeated mental experiences leads to structural changes in the brain neurons that process that experience, making the synaptic connections between those neurons stronger [1, p. 27]
• Learned Nonuse: Because the brain is a use-it or lose-it organ, if an activity is not practiced the brain will re-purpose the neurons.  Thus a person who no longer walks will learn that they can no longer walk.
• Noisy Brain: normal signals are too weak to overcome ‘background noise’ and thus are lost [p. 108]
• Neuronal Assemblies: Neurons work with large networks of other neurons and each network is constantly re-forming itself particularly for conscious activities.  Thus each conscious act is itself unique and never to be repeated. [p. 110].  It is these aggregations in which memories, skills and abilities are stored.
• Stages of Neuro-Healing: Doidge describes the following xx steps for a brain to either heal itself or restore its pre-existing functions [1, pp. 110-11:
  • Cellular Repair Stage: The underlying morbidity causing a problem is corrected.  For example a stroke patient recovers from the initial shock, a toxin is removed or an infection is controlled.
  • Neuro-stimulation: By applying energy to one of the above assemblies or individual neurons they can be revived.  In the case studies below energy sources include thought, light and sound.
  • Neuro-modulation: Neurons are binary in nature with the settings being to fire or not.  Neuro-modulation restores the balance between the brains actions of excitation or inhibition and thus quiets the noisy brain often by doing a ‘reset’ to the level of arousal to external stimulation.
  • Neuro-relaxation: After a flight or fight response has been turned off through neuro-modulation, often a person needs to rest and may require several weeks of intensive sleep.
  • Neuro-differentiation and learning: the patient is ready to learn and thus create neuro-differences – something the brain does extremely well.
• Eight Core Principles of Neuro-Differentiation: Feledenkrais was a refuge from the National Socialist invasions of first his home land in Belarus and then France.  Although a leading physicist he developed a theory of kinesiology that has helped individual regain lost motor function.  This work was based on the following eight Core Principles:
  • 1. The Mind Programs the Functions of the Brain: A desire and intent to re-wire the brain will result in the brain re-wiring itself.
  • 2. A Brain Cannot Think without Motor Functions: beyond mind-body interactions, movement starts in the brain before the body performs and body movement affects the brain.  Each time the brain is used, four components are triggered: movement, thought, sensation and feeling.
  • 3. Awareness of Movement is Key to Improving Movement.  Creating awareness develops mental maps which leads to longer term improvements.
  • 4.Small Distinctions Create the Largest Brain Maps. Small, fully aware movements create larger brain maps.
  • 5.The smaller the Stimulus the Great the Differentiation. Small sensory stimulation that involves subsequent change yields the greatest brain map results.
  • 6. Slowness of Movement Builds Awareness and Thus Learning.  The delay between thought and action is the basis for awareness.  Slower movements lead to more subtle observations.
  • 7. Reduce Effort if Possible.  Force is the opposite of awareness,
  • 8.Errors are Essential, There is no Right Way, Only Better Ways.
  • 9. Randomness Leads to Breakthroughs.
  • 10. A Small Movement Always Involves the Whole Body.
  • 11. Many Movement Problems are Not Structural but Learned Behaviour.
• The Tongue is the Royal Road to the Brain, by stimulating it is possible to reverse and improve neurological losses.
• The brain changes permanently from the bottom up.

Case Studies

• Moskowitz, a pain specialist who is himself is injured learns to control his chronic pain by visualizing the pain areas shrinking. To do this he developed the MIRROR methodology:
  • Motivation, the patient must be highly motivated to want to reduce their chronic pain – particularly in the initial weeks when there is little reduction.
  • Intention, Moskowitz’s technique is not about reducing pain but instead its intent is to focus the mind to change the brain.
  • Relentlessness, whenever pain is felt, the patient must visualize the pain area shrinking.
  • Reliability, the brain is the ally and can be relied upon to change.
  • Opportunity, use each pain episode as an opportunity to re-train the brain away from chronic pain.
  • Restoration, finally the goal of Moskowitz’s method is to restore normal brain function.
• John Pepper is able to control his Parkinson symptoms by walking them off.
  • By concentrating and focusing his conscious mind on activities, Pepper is able to regain motor control.
  • At the core of this technique is a walking regime in which he consciously thought of each step or action to be taken rather than relying on the normal subconscious processes.
  • By doing so, Pepper was able to supplement his brain’s connections and reduce his Parkinson symptoms.
  • This is not a cure for Parkinson but a treatment method that has allowed him to live for decades in better health than he would have otherwise have.
• Fred Kahn is a surgeon who has been using laser light therapy to treat a variety of muscular, skeletal and not neurological problems.
  • Low-intensity lasers bombard an area of the body causing the localized molecules to undergo chemical reactions.
  • There are four distinct molecules that can absorb light energy:
    • 1. Rhodospin, found in the retina of the eye.
    • 2.Hemoglobin, found in the blood.
    • 3. Myoglobin, found in muscles.
    • 4. Cytochrome, found in all cells and converts photonic energy into energy available for use by cell mitochondria.
  • LED and lasers are used in succession so as to saturate a particular body area with energy and with increasing depth.
• A simple device that stimulates the tongue has allowed MS suffers, brain injury and others leave behind their crutches and impairments.
• Alfred Tomatis develops a sound based method of treating many neurological disorders including some forms of Autism.

[1]. The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity. Norman Doidge (Author)