Posted by Tony P on March 25, 2006, at 1:26:58
In reply to Re: psychotherapy can alter brain chemistry » linkadge, posted by Jakeman on March 24, 2006, at 19:57:50
Not only can various activities (psychotherapy, exercise, meditation etc.) alter brain chemistrry, it appears the brain can rewire itself remarkably quickly if the stimulus is strong enough.
I was just watching a program on PBS in which an experimental subject was blindfolded for several days and asked to learn Braille; within a couple of days, brain scans showed her visual cortex had taken over the job of processing touch information from her fingertips!
BTW, the experimenter commented that this also debunks the old notion that we only use 10% of our brains; we may not know what all of it is used for, but cerebral real estate seems to be at a premium -- any time some comes free, as in this experiment, another function takes it over.
Using 110% of my brain to write this post at 11:30 PM,
Tony
poster:Tony P
thread:623859
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060322/msgs/624383.html