Can the brain fix itself?

Like I said earlier in the email, the answer is yes, to an extent, and with some caveats.

While evidence shows us that neurogenesis or the formation of new neurons is possible in a few parts of the brain, this is not the primary way that the brain tries to heal itself after a neurological injury like a stroke. It’s through... See more

How can you maximize the chances of brain healing after a stroke?

1. Avoid learned nonuse/maladaptive neuroplasticity : Use your affected abilities as much as you can, as often as you can. This will help to curb unwanted maladaptive neuroplasticity or pruning away of important neural pathways.


2. Consistency is key : Work on your recovery every day

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Physiologically, neuroplasticity happens in a few different ways:

• Axonal sprouting : This occurs when neighboring neurons extend their axons to establish new connections with damaged brain areas to restore functional connections and compensate for lost neural pathways.


• Dendritic branching : This occurs when there is a growth of new dendritic

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But here's the thing, this is a good news/bad news situation because there are two types of neuroplasticity: positive and maladaptive.

Neuroplastic changes are created in response to stimuli and activity, or lack thereof. In stroke recovery, we want to facilitate positive neuroplasticity, aka the creation of new pathways and cortical reorganization... See more