The Brain That Changes Itself

My grandmother recently gave me the book The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge. It's about "neuroplasticity" and the idea that the brain changes and can be forced to changed if damaged or compromised in some way. I just started reading it and have only read 2 chapters -- one about a woman who had no sensory perception and was cured by stimulating the sensory receptors in her tongue and another other about a stroke victim who learned to walk and talk even after damaging a significant portion of his brain. So far, it's pretty fascinating -- and encouraging. I was telling one of Drake's therapists about the book today and she said that now neuroscientists use MRIs to watch in real-time how new areas of the brain can "take over" functions for damaged parts. It's so amazing what our bodies and brains are capable of. I feel like there is still so much to learn about the brain, too. And with stem cells, too. Anyway, the book got me kind of excited, so thought I'd pass the title on.