Have you ever wondered why researchers study other mammals’ brains to learn more about our own? It doesn’t really make sense, does it? It all starts with neuroplasticity which is the brain’s ability to develop based on what we experience in life. Prior to learning this some people believed the way someone acted or their personality was passed down in genes, others believed the brain stopped developing after childhood, however this changed when Franz Gall proposed studying bumps in skulls to see if it could reveal a person’s personality. This was later proven wrong; however, all his work wasn’t in vain, he introduced the idea that different parts of the brain have different functions which made other people curious as to how our brain develops. 

After Franz Gall came an Italian anatomist by the name of Michele Malacarne. He conducted experiments on animals and found that trained animals had larger cerebellums than those untrained which suggested that the brains structure changes based on experience. This led to many more experiments being done which allowed William James, an American psychologist to write a book called “The principles of psychology”. This book took these ideas of brain development and built on them, theorizing new ideas which haven’t been tested but were later proven right. One of these ideas was habits being evidence of brain plasticity because repeated actions led to faster and more accurate responses. This book has now become what is known as the foundational concept for social neuroscience.

Neuroplasticity is important in psychology because understanding how it works allows psychologists to help others recover from difficult situations they may be experiencing, this is done via therapy. For example if someone had PTSD people believed there was nothing they could do to help them due to the belief that brains could no longer develop after childhood. However with the introduction of neuroplasticity it proved you could get rid of these problems by redirecting negative feelings into brain functional patterns. This works by restoring cognitive function which is how the brain makes new neural connections and organizes itself based on new memories and learning experiences.

In the modern day Psychologists/therapists take advantage of the knowledge provided by neuro plasticity to help people with less severe cases like anxiety and depression. They use cognitive training like talk therapy to shift a person’s beliefs which helps their patients overcome their current issues. Other forms of cognitive training include learning a new language, playing an instrument, or even taking a path home you’ve never taken before, these exercises challenge the brain and help it make new connections and further develop. Apart from mental training, physical training like aerobic exercises also help by stimulating the release of a substance known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, which strengthens the connections between neurons. BDNF is also known to be stimulated by all drugs known to alleviate depression.

Neuroplasticity has changed the way we understand the brain; it’s not something fixed, but something that can grow and develop throughout our lives. Starting from ideas by Gall and Malacarne to now modern therapy techniques, every idea has built on the last. Today, psychologists use this knowledge to help people heal and learn through both mental and physical training. Whether it’s overcoming trauma or building new habits, the brain’s ability to rewire itself opens up new possibilities.