The Dynamic Brain
For decades the adult brain was thought to be fixed. It is not. Neuroplasticity is the brain's lifelong ability to change its structure and function in response to experience, learning, and injury.
Learning strengthens the synapses that fire together via long-term potentiation (LTP). Conversely, unused connections are removed through synaptic pruning, which sculpts an efficient network.
At a larger scale, the cortex can remap: when a region is deprived of input, neighboring regions take over its territory. The adult brain also retains neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons in the hippocampus, supporting memory.
Plasticity Across the Lifespan
Plasticity is greatest in early development (critical and sensitive periods), but it never fully stops. It is the biological basis of learning and recovery.
| Feature | Early Development | Adulthood |
|---|---|---|
| Rate | Highest / Peak | Ongoing / Slower |
| Driver | Sensory critical periods | Experience & learning |
Common pitfall: Believing neuroplasticity ends in childhood. Plasticity slows down, but the adult brain keeps forming, strengthening, and pruning connections as long as it learns.