“Fascinating. Doidge’s book is a remarkable and hopeful portrait of the endless adaptability of the human brain.”—Oliver Sacks, MD, author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a HatWhat is neuroplasticity? Is it possible to change your brain? Norman Doidge’s inspiring guide to the new brain science explains all of this and moreAn astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing … neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable, and proving that it is, in fact, possible to change your brain. Psychoanalyst, Norman Doidge, M.D., traveled the country to meet both the brilliant scientists championing neuroplasticity, its healing powers, and the people whose lives they’ve transformed—people whose mental limitations, brain damage or brain trauma were seen as unalterable. We see a woman born with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole, blind people who learn to see, learning disorders cured, IQs raised, aging brains rejuvenated, stroke patients learning to speak, children with cerebral palsy learning to move with more grace, depression and anxiety disorders successfully treated, and lifelong character traits changed. Using these marvelous stories to probe mysteries of the body, emotion, love, sex, culture, and education, Dr. Doidge has written an immensely moving, inspiring book that will permanently alter the way we look at our brains, human nature, and human potential.
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If you’ve ever wondered what some of the latest research has proven about the human brain, this is a good book for you. It’s about brain plasticity and how although it may be diminished with age, it’s still possible to change the wiring of the brain to accomplish seemingly miraculous recoveries from stroke, OCD, and other brain lock behaviors. This also makes a point of how the brain gets “wired” during the first three years of life and how there are “windows of opportunity” that allow for significant changes in that wiring. It made me wonder about things like people with ADD & ADHD and the probability of changing this even in later life. I found this book incredibly interesting and makes me want to read even more books about what the latest research is telling us about what makes us who we are.
What knowledge and insight Dr Dodge has into the working of the mind especially when an unconventional approach is needed to find an answer with a challenging situation not responding to mainstream methods of learning and growth
Fascinating. Gives me hope that I can keep my brain functioning well. The idea of testing and then teaching kids instead of considering them learning disabled is a great one. I want to learn more.
A very interesting book on how the brain can still be ‘rewired’ so as to restore functions that have been lost due to brain damage, old age, some autistic problems, learning problems among children, and so on.
Still not all brain problems can be healed, restored, or rewired. But, tradition medicine’s view that the brain is hard wired and can never be changed would seem to be wrong at least some of the time.
Very interesting. I’m especially interested in neuroplasticity since my husband had an Oligdendroglioma removed from his right frontal lobe.
The Dr.s back then called it a “silent” area of the brain. Ha!
Now I know why all the personality changes, indecision, and disinhibition occurred. I’m hoping it’s not too late to do some remapping of his cerebral cortex and give him a better quality of life.
This book in general reminds me a lot of one of my favorite authors; the late Dr. Oliver Sachs. Always interested in information about how our brains work, and the compensations we make when they don’t.
Highly recommended if you, like me, are in to this sort of thing.
Norman Doidge’s The Brain That Changes Itself is my latest neuroscience read, and, focusing as it does on neuroplasticity, also the most relevant. (It’s not everyday that pyschopaths or the evolution of brain function enter into my thoughts or conversations. Neuroplasticity, though, now that’s a serious buzzword around here.)
In a nutshell, Doidge presents case studies of several patients with serious brain injury (such as stroke, early childhood trauma, or other congenital condition) and explores how their brains process different types of information including sight, sound, language, and tactile sensation. Through these examples, Doidge walks the reader through the ways in which these cases support previously known information or – more frequently than not – how science advances by the ways in which these cases upend what doctors and scientists thought they previously understood.
All of the examples showcase the remarkable plastic features of the brain and the use-it-or-lose-it principle that underpins much of neuroscience. The cases here explain much to me about the obvious neuroplasticity we’ve seen with our son, and fill me with hope for how far neuroplasticity might extend.
Unless you’ve got a particular and personal interest in neuroscience, this book likely won’t be on your reading list – and you needn’t feel compelled to add it. If, on the other hand, a reader is specifically seeking an accessible (i.e., non-medical) volume on neuroplasticity, The Brain That Changes Itself has much to recommend it.
(This review was originally published at https://www.thisyearinbooks.com/2019/03/the-brain-that-changes-itself-stories.html)
If you have any interest in recovery from a trauma or disease affecting the brain, READ THIS BOOK. After reading it, I bought 3 print copies–one for my PT. I am about to buy some more. There are other books on “Neuroplasticity” that I hope to read, including some on mitochondria. In my humble opinion, this area of research, including the impact of Omega3 on reclamation and sociopathiological behavior are incredabiy important for social policy. Unfortunately, in my experience, the medical industrial complex is wont to explore neuroplasticity aggressively, especially for disease that impacts the poor.
Informative and learned information about our brains. Lots of good information.
Extremely informative, very accessible tour of the field of brain plasticity by an expert in the field. I have been recommending it to everyone I know.
I bought this book was an excellent glimpse into the mysteries of the brain and the wonders within. Very informative and intellectually engaging.
Plasticity, a game changing concept for training, learning, aging, perception, etc.
If you have a brain, read this book.
Very interesting and informative
The book goes against everything I Lin earned about the brain in school and college. The book highlights the brain’s ability to make changes. Wonderful read! It will change your paradigm of the brain’s ability.