Principles of Neuroplasticity

principle 1

Use it or lose it

what does use it or lose it mean?

if you do not actively engage neural circuits in a task for an extended period of time they begin to degrade and not work as well

Principle 2

Use it and improve it

• pt can be taught using constraint-induced movement therapy to restrain a functional arm to make the pt use their damaged arm as much as possible

principle 3

• Specificity

  • tailor the activity of exercise to produce a result in the neural circuitry (oral motor exercises for ex)

principle 4

Repetition matters

• plan as many repetitions as possible

  • 20 or 30 is not enough. 100 reps is more reasonable

principle 5

• Intensity matters

• more intense therapy is more likely to generate results and more likely to maintain over time

principle 6

Time matters

• the earlier the better

• this is important to prevent maladaptive behaviors from forming

principle 7

• Salience matters

• training experience should be salient to induce plasticity

• SLP should know what is important to help the patient (emotion makes a difference)

  • helps pt remember skills or what is important when their brain is already oevrwhelmed

principle 8

• age matters

• training-induce plasticity occurs more readily in younger brains

• younger the better!

• younger brains are more adaptable, think about this when working with younger vs older patients 

principle 9

transference or generalization!
• “Plasticity in response to one training
experience can enhance acquisition of similar
behaviors.”
• The SLP needs to understand how the behavior
will transfer to the real world environment to be
independent in the home.

principle 10

Interference!
• “Plasticity in response to one training
experience can impede acquisition of similar
behaviors.”
• When patients can come for therapy but it is
delayed for some reason, the patient comes to
the therapeutic environment with compensatory
behaviors for deficits which he/she has learned
but these may not be the best way to
compensate
• Must teach the patient to “unlearn” these
compensatory behaviors