The more I focus on neuro-plasticity, the better I am finding my capability to access and control cognitive function, making improvement that is ahead of where I was before the stroke. I’m becoming more aware of areas of my brain function that can be harnessed for practical knowledge and, bizarrely enough, cognitive resources that have have improved after the stroke due to other parts of my brain facilitating areas that are now afflicted. I’m trying to take advantage of this state of flux to augment what I already had established. It’s an interesting process full of little pleasant surprises.
I find it interesting, it has always been questioned but science went the other way at one time, and considered the brain locked after maturing, and then deteriorating. I have, however, come across observations by writers like Aldous Huxley and Francis Bacon who observed plasticity but didn’t name it.
There are quite a few articles on Neuroplasticity around and one of them is what you have published.
After having my stroke and finding out through 2 MRI scans that I have had previously 8 more strokes in the past, there is actually more than 4 ways to harness Neuroplasticity. .
I have just completed a Mental Health higher education PD course of 50 hrs which is an equivalent Level 8 within that field of Psychiatry after having my stroke 2017. Neuroplasticity at its finest.
Hello @wannie1956, that’s really good to hear, well done on completing your course. You are right, there are many ways to improve neurological-plasticity. I think many younger stroke survivors end up at a crossroads after the stroke, thinking about job changes et cetera, and I am also convinced that a stroke is almost the ideal time to tackle that change. How the brain develops and adapt is really just up to us, it is an immensely powerful organ in the scheme of things. I also am led to think that after stroke is the ideal opportunity for learning new things, establishing greater connections in the brain, and breaking old habits.
Also having a diagnosis of hypoxic brain injury and more than one cardiac arrest still is a challenge and will be quite for some time. I also am extremely lucky in that I have had excellent treatment with my post stroke and other events. I had to go out of the public hospital system for stroke treatment and the other rehab within the public health system for my heart is the most excellent treatment I still receive. I had the treble whammy and am in the 3% worldwide of people who have survived what occurred to me. I do not drink anymore and don’t smoke. I am extremely lucky I survived.