Adaptability and Brain Plasticity

Adaptability

• Psychologists use 'adaptation,' 'adaptability,' and 'adapt' to refer to the ability to function in a changing world.
• The brain and nervous system act as agents for adapting to new conditions.
• Nerve cells are not fixed structures; they constantly adapt to changes in the body and environment.

Brain Plasticity

• Plasticity denotes the brain's special capacity for change.
• Thinking is a physical event, reflected in physical activity in the brain.
• The brain is changed by experience, altering its physical processes and shape.
• Examples: London cab drivers show increased size in brain areas for map reading; managerial experience is linked to less age-related decreases in hippocampus size.
• Experiences throughout life contribute to the wiring or rewiring of the brain.
• The hippocampus is a brain structure important for memory.