Beyond Neuroplasticity
In recent years, the word neuroplasticity has captivated neuroscientists, psychologists, and the broader public, with its implications for recovery from brain injuries, cognitive therapy, and everyday learning. I propose a more nuanced term: neuroadaptability. It encompasses not only the brain's ability to change and grow but also its capacity for resilience and adaptation in diverse and challenging environments.
The revised label is especially applicable to cult survivors processing their experiences. This leads to greater understanding and facilitates recovery from cult influence.
As celebrated in psychiatrist Norman Doidge's The Brain That Changes Itself, neuroplasticity suggests a uniform capacity for change across all brain regions and individuals. But that is not the case.
The term plasticity itself carries problematic connotations. Plastics as materials are petroleum products, and their presence as micro and nano-plastics in our oceans is a significant environmental concern. This toxic association is starkly opposite the organic nature of brain processes.
Plastic materials are thought of as things that can be formed and re-formed by melting, but that is not an accurate representation of how the brain works. The brain's changes are far more responsive to context and involve neurogenesis, whereby new synapses sprout and neurons make stronger connections.
Neuroadaptability emphasizes the brain's........
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