The brain is an interesting organ because long after it is expected to stop changing, it continues to develop. Neuroplasticity is the lifelong ability of the brain to reorganize neural pathways based on new experiences. As we learn, we acquire new knowledge and skills through instruction or experience. In order to learn or memorize a fact or skill, there must be persistent functional changes in the brain that represent the new knowledge.
Plasticity occurs for two reasons:
1. During normal brain development when the immature brain first begins to process sensory information through adulthood (developmental plasticity and plasticity of learning and memory).
2. As an adaptive mechanism to compensate for lost function and/or to maximize remaining functions in the event of brain injury.
The phenomenon of brain plasticity is important because it demonstrates the complex nature of the brain. Though it is expected to stop developing at a certain age, it continues to change in complicated ways. It shows how far we are from understanding how the human brain works because it is constantly changing without a clear and definite reason.
The location of certain parts of the brain and nerves explain fetishes. For example, foot fetish is a common fetish because the neurons of the foot are closely located next to the neurons associated with genitalia and sex. In some brains, these neurons actually touch or criss cross, which explains the correlation between sexual desire and feet in some people.
Source: http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/plast.html
No comments:
Post a Comment