Running Head: THE PLASTICITY OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

Kendra Hansen
Salt Lake Community College
1010 Introduction to Psychology
Shannon Flynt, Assistant Professor of Psychology
December 7, 2015

Running Head: THE PLASTICITY OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

The human brain is an astonishing organ because it has the remarkable ability to
recalibrate and repair itself. Brain Plasticity, or neuroplasticity as it is called by
neuroscientists, is the brains capacity to form new neural connections throughout a
persons life. This means that the brain has the ability to constantly change both the
structure and the function of many cells in response to experience or trauma (Ciccarelli
et al., 2014). This is important because it means that the human brain has a way of
compensating for injury and disease and adjusting to a changing environment not only
in childhood, but throughout our lives.
The brain is complex and much of it is still very much a mystery to the scientific
community. We are just now beginning to understand how the brain forms these new
connections and what factors contribute to the molding and pruning processes. It was
once assumed that neurons in the brain were not capable of repairing themselves and
that if any healing occurred, it was because healthy brain cells simply took over the
function of damaged ones. We now know that in at least some areas of the brain, that
dendrites grow and new synapses are formed. And that it is the creation of new neural
networks in conjunction with a modification of existing ones that the healing nature of
plasticity is predicated on. The discovery of plasticity has allowed medicine to actually
implant nerve cells into a damaged area of the spinal cord in order to encourage growth
of new nerves (Ciccarelli et al., 2014). The hope is that in the future we may be able to
implant stem cells into damaged areas of the brain so that those new neurons will
assume the role of the damaged neurons, essentially stopping progressive brain
diseases in their tracks and repairing spinal cord injuries once thought to be permanent.

Running Head: THE PLASTICITY OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

The human health implications are profound. It is exciting to think about what this kind
of advancement in medicine could do to improve the lives of those with mental health
conditions, brain disorders, degenerative diseases, and traumatic brain or spinal cord
injuries.
I find the concept of neuroplasticity to be a particularly valuable addition to my
knowledge base because of the career path, of occupational therapy, that I have chosen
to pursue. Much of occupational therapy (OT) is founded on the brains ability to
compensate for injury and disease and adjust activity in response to new movement or
to changes in environment. Occupational therapy is practiced under frame of reference
guidelines, which are based on established research, that define characteristics and
behaviors on the continuum of function and dysfunction. OT practitioners use these
guidelines to determine if occupational therapy services are warranted and to evaluate
functional behaviors during the assessment process. For example, one way that
function can be assessed is through physical abilities such as strength, endurance, and
range of motion. Dysfunction, therefore, can be measured in limitations to strength,
range of motion, and endurance. On the other hand, function can be defined and
measured as the absence of abnormal behaviors, and dysfunction is the presence of
behaviors that interfere with function. Abnormal behaviors can be considered those
interfering with function or socially unacceptable behaviors that limit a person in their
everyday life. The occupational therapy frames of reference are the underlying
principles that guide evaluation and intervention and are the basis for how to guide and
progress an individual from a state of dysfunction to one of function. Understanding the

Running Head: THE PLASTICITY OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

principles allows practitioners to use clinical reasoning to determine which therapies

may benefit their client or patient (OBrien).
For example, neurodevelopmental, sensory integration, and motor control OT
models of practice are all based upon the theory of brain plasticity. Therefore
occupational therapy intervention is aimed at improving neuronal firing and generating
improved brain activity through repetition. For example, if one part of the brain is
damaged, the intact portions may compensate for some of its functions by reorganizing
and forming new connections between intact neurons. In order to reconnect, the
neurons need to be correctly stimulated through activity (Taupin, Phillippe, 2006).
Understanding the theory regarding change according to the established frame of
reference is important to providing evidence based occupational therapy intervention.
The structure of the human brain is constantly changing in response to a wide
range of experiential factors, which allows it to compensate through activity to improve
neurological synapses, dendritic growth, or create additional pathways. Understanding
how the brain changes and the rules governing these changes is important not only for
understanding physical function and dysfunction, but also for understanding normal and
abnormal behavior. Eventually, our further understanding of brain plasticity could
facilitate designing treatments for behavioral and psychological disorders ranging from
addiction to depression as well as treatments for neurological diseases such as
Parkinsons and Multiple Sclerosis.

Running Head: THE PLASTICITY OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

References
O'Brien, Jane C. (2013). Introduction to Occupational Therapy, 4th Edition. Elsevier
Health Sciences.
Ciccarelli, Saundra K. et al. (2014). Psychology An Exploration. Pearson Education, Inc.
Taupin, Phillippe (2006). Adult Neurogenesis and Stem Cells in Mammals. Nova
Science Publishers, Inc.
Temple, Sally. (2001). The development of neural stem cells. Nature International
Weekly Journal of Science, 414, 112-117.
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v414/n6859/abs/414112a0.html
Finger, S., & Almli, C. R. (1985). Brain damage and neuroplasticity: mechanisms of
recovery or development. Brain Research Reviews, 10(3), 177-186.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0165017385900232
Reid, L. B., et al. (2015). Rehabilitation and neuroplasticity in children with unilateral
cerebral palsy. Nature Reviews Neurology.
http://www.nature.com/nrneurol/journal/v11/n7/full/nrneurol.2015.97.html
Kolb, Bryan et al. Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of
Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada and Department of Psychology, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Brain Plasticity and Behavior.
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/journals/cd/12_1/Kolb.cfm