Moalims

Our brain is a nervous wiring system. Billions of neurons are in our brain. Our sense organs like eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin convey external information to the brain. This information is stored by making connections between neurons.

A rapidly changing world, constantly evolving technology and the resulting changes in our daily life.

Our brains were not designed for all the things we do today. Yet, we have adapted well to this modern world and are constantly adapting ourselves to the changes.

All this is possible because of our mind. The brain is an organ of our body that has a great ability to adapt, teach and develop itself.

The question arises, how can we keep this amazing organ of ours healthy? Is there any way by which we can increase the capacity of the brain and make it faster?

The BBC's Melissa Hoganbaum studied a new study and spoke to some experts to find out the answers to these questions.

Thorstein Barnhofer, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Surrey in England, told the BBC that we can improve our brain's capabilities in a number of ways.

"There are certain practices that reduce stress and promote 'neuroplasticity' in just a few weeks," he explains. By enhancing neuroplasticity, diseases like dementia can be prevented and even brain damage caused by psychological trauma can be reduced.'

But what is neuroplasticity?

Neuroplasticity is the ability of our brain to change itself based on the information it receives (or simply the flexibility of our nervous system.).

Lucknow-based psychologist Rajesh Pandey told the BBC that neuroplasticity is actually the connections that are made and changed in neurons, also known as nerve cells, in our brain.

"Our mind is like a wiring system," he says. Billions of neurons are in our brain. Our sense organs like eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin convey external information to the brain. "This information is stored in the brain by making connections between neurons."

"When we are born, these neurons are in very few connections," says Rajesh. Reflexive interactions are already present, such as the child's immediate withdrawal of the hand from touching a hot object. But he can pick up an insect or a dangerous reptile from the ground and put it in his mouth because his brain doesn't have the connections to tell him it's dangerous to do so. But with time, the child continues to learn and neural connections continue to form in his brain.

Rajesh Pandey explains that these connections also change with new experiences. This entire process is called neuroplasticity. It is the background process of learning, creating experiences and storing memories.'

How can neuroplasticity be enhanced?

Professor Thorsten Barnhofer says that 'brain stress increases due to excessive use of the brain.'

He explains that worrying about the same thing over and over is harmful because it increases the level of the hormone cortisol in the brain.

This hormone is harmful to the brain and creates barriers to neuroplasticity. The way to avoid this is mindfulness.

Mindfulness simply means being aware of your surroundings, your thoughts and your sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, skin). This means paying attention to what you are feeling at the moment without overthinking it.

Psychologist Rajesh Pandey explains that 'in simple terms, mindfulness means knowing what information is coming into the brain from outside through our senses and how to use the information already inside the brain. is being done.'

Giving the example of meditation, he says, 'In simple terms, it is the act of focusing on your sense organs. Pay attention to your breathing or feel whether the weather is hot or cold.'

It also creates neural connections. You will see that if a person concentrates on these sense organs for just 15 minutes a day, his walking, talking, laughing, smiling, everything will change.

Recently, it has been revealed that the structure of the brain also changes during the process of neuroplasticity.

To test this, the BBC's Melissa Hoganbaum had her brain scanned, meditated for six weeks and then scanned again.

After comparing the previous and new scans, Professor Barnhofer said neuroplasticity had increased in Melissa's brain over six weeks.

He said that the size of the right side of the brain has decreased. This is due to stress reduction. It increases in people who have anxiety and stress. We have seen before that mindfulness training reduced its size. The back of the brain has also changed. "It means that there is less distraction in the mind."

Exercise also helps

Experts say that exercise can also play an important role in increasing neuroplasticity in the brain.

According to Professor Angelo Quattrone, director of Italy's 'Centro Neurolysis' Institute, if you exercise for 30 minutes a day and four to five days a week, it has good effects on the brain.

Gillian Forster, professor of comparative cognition at the University of Sussex, said the activity and changes in the brain are closely related to body movements.

"We have seen that if someone has difficulty speaking, hand gestures can help when speaking," she says. In fact, the part of our brain that helps us speak is connected to the part that helps us work with our hands, legs, or arms. Perhaps this happened because language originated from signs.

In addition to meditation, physical exercise also reduces stress, says Dr. Uri Osmey at the University of London's School of Psychology.

"Our mind is constantly changing itself," he says. But this process happens faster in children. It has been observed that children who move their arms and legs at a normal level can later speak well. But for those who don't, some may later have problems with speech or social behaviours.'

Psychologist Rajesh Pandey explains that not just exercise, but doing anything new like learning music or a language can increase neuroplasticity because new neural connections are made in the brain when we see, learn or think something new.

"The human brain can make lifelong neural connections," he says. You can learn a new language even at the age of 80. Going somewhere new, breaking the routine and doing something new has many benefits. We just have to keep giving him new experiences.

Treatment of brain damage

At the Centro Neurolysis Institute in Italy, patients suffering from neurological problems are treated with the help of modern technology.

Director of this institution, Professor Angel Quattron, says that special games have been created for those who cannot walk. These continue to send signals to their brain and this increases plasticity and the brain is able to rebuild connections that have been broken due to an accident or stroke. This is called 'rewiring'.

In the future, learning will become easier

Until now, it was thought that neuroplasticity is greater in children. But it is now being used in adults around the world to keep the brain active and reduce brain damage.

Zoe Cortezi, professor of experimental psychology at the University of Cambridge, says that every human brain has its own rhythm of learning.

 He told BBC science journalist Melissa Hoganbaum that 'every human brain works in its own rhythm. If the person is given information according to the rhythm of his mind, he can learn faster.

In an experiment conducted at the University of Cambridge, people were given some questions to solve. His brain's electrical activity was then measured. It showed how his mind was working. Then when questions were given according to this rhythm, they were able to solve them better.

This research is still in its early stages and it is hoped that in the future people can be taught to better tune their brain rhythms, increasing their neuroplasticity.