You may have heard that your brain cannot repair itself. Many people believe that there are no new changes in the brain after it stops growing. But fortunately, this isn’t true.
In the nineties, scientists proved that the brain is in constant change. Your brain creates new neurons when necessary. Furthermore, the formation of new synapses is crucial to the way your brain works.
So how are new synapses created?
The Brain Never Stops Changing
Here are some of the most important things you should know about the formation of new synapses.
It Doesn’t Stop at Adulthood
The adult brain is a dynamic system. Your existing synapses adapt to new knowledge. Your brain makes new synapses as well when the time is right.
A Huge Number of New Synapses Are Necessary After an Injury
People who suffer from an injury go through a period of brain re-wiring. For example, the brain needs some time to readjust after an amputation. In time, these new synapses can provide the same stability that the person used to have before their injury.
Brain Injuries and Diseases Are Another Possible Cause
If your brain cannot function well, it will create new synapses to correct the problem. Doctors have found that brains create new synapses after a stroke or brain injury. But age-related memory loss can lead to new synapses too.
Brain Activity Creates New Synapses
Synapses help maintain a particular balance of electric activity in a particular area of the brain. More synapses mean a higher level of activity. Additionally, the formation of new synapses stops when the right level of activity has been reached in that area.
