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Summary of The Brain that Changes Itself 

4.7 . 4181 reviews

Short summary

The science of neuroplasticity is proving that the human brain is actually not immutable. The author Dr. Norman Doidge traveled the world to meet the scientists and patients that prove the credibility of neuroplasticity. The accomplishments of this science are overwhelming — we see brains rewired, rise in IQs, and many other accomplishments. There is still so much to discover about the human brain. It’s limits are unknown and untested. As scientists make new discoveries over time, we move close to understanding exactly what the human brain is capable of. Norman Doidge is a medical doctor who specializes in psychoanalysis. He is equally a captivating writer, with his first degree being in literary classics and philosophy, from the University of Toronto. “No other instinct can so satisfy without accomplishing its biological purpose, and no other instinct is so disconnected from its purpose.” ~ Dr. Norman Doidge

Table of content

  • Summary of The Brain that Changes Itself
  • About the author
  • What is The Brain that Changes Itself about?
  • Who should read The Brain that Changes Itself
  • Topics in The Brain that Changes Itself
first key point

The brain is not a computer hardware with permanently connected circuits

Listen the first key point
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This summary is meant to uphold the fact that the human brain is indeed capable of change. This fact is propelled by the testimonies of scientists, doctors, and patients. Patients with brain diseases previously considered incurable were healed by utilizing the knowledge of the brain’s inherent ability to change.
The common misconception of the human brain is that as we grow, it begins a slow and continuous decline.
After childhood, if brain cells are lost due to injury or damage, they will not be replaced. The implication of this misconception is that people who suffered brain damage of any form in the past had to remain like that for life. However, this belief was backed up by three factors: the inability of patients suffering from brain damage to make a full recovery, the lack of information on the microscopic activities of the brain, and the belief that the brain is the ultimate machine and like machines, it can’t grow or change.

Dr. Norman Doidge experienced failures in his career, which were attributed to the fact that the brain was hard-wired. Although this was accepted in the world of medicine, it still bothered the research psychiatrist and psychoanalyst that his patients did not progress as expected. As a result, when he came to the knowledge that there was hope — the brain might not have been as hard-wired as everyone was led to the belief — he began investigating. He wanted to find proof for himself, and his studies led him to travel far and wide until he met a series of scientists.
The brain is a far more open system than we ever imagined, and nature has gone very far to help us perceive and take in the world around us. It has given us a brain that survives in a changing world by changing itself. ~ Dr. Norman Doidge
These scientists were at the forefront of all brain-related studies. Dr Norman Doidge had the opportunity to converse with laureates who were focused on making the most of the newly discovered, ever-changing brain. This guide summarizes his encounters and lessons.
second key point

Failures accompanying a defective vestibular apparatus

This section will discuss the experience of a brain damage patient — Cheryl Schlitz. She often imagines herself off balance, and as a result, her body turns out off balance. If she pictures herself falling, she falls.
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third key point

A woman labeled “retarded” found how to heal herself

fourth key point

What neuroplasticity teaches us about sexual attraction and love

fifth key point

Stroke victim learns to move and speak again

sixth key point

Using plasticity to stop obsessions, worries, compulsions, and bad habits

seventh key point

The dark side of plasticity

eighth key point

Conclusion

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What is The Brain that Changes Itself about?

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Do you find yourself staring at your computer for long minutes, unaware of time slipping by? Do you enter a room and suddenly cannot remember why you stepped in the first place? Is it a herculean task for you to sit through ten pages of a book without reaching for your phone? If yes, your focus needs some work and fast.

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