Is it possible to consciously change the structure of the brain to alter how we think and feel? Conventional neuroscience held that the hardware of the brain is fixed - that we are stuck with what we were born with; but recent pioneering experiments in neuroplasticity reveal that the brain is capable not only of altering its structure but also of generating new neurons, even into old age. The brain can adapt, heal, renew itself after trauma and compensate for disability. Highly respected science writer Sharon Begley now documents how this fundamental paradigm shift is transforming both our understanding of the human mind and our approach to deep-seated emotional, cognitive and behavioural problems. These breakthroughs show that it is possible, with the right stimulus and practice, to achieve amazing changes, both physical and emotional, such as finding new contentment, regaining the use of limbs disabled by stroke, training the mind to break cycles of depression and OCD, and even reversing age-related changes in the brain.
354pp, 130mm x 196mm, softback, 2011