ALPHABETICAL BRAIN™ VOCABULARY DETAILS about PLASTICITY Brain Flash Card #10 WHAT IS PLASTICITY AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT? What is the purpose and function of your brain's PLASTICITY? The evolutionary purpose of plasticity (neuroplasticity) is to give you the ability to learn from the changes in your environment so you can survive and thrive. This phenominal adaptive cellular communication process is also known as synaptic plasticity since trillions of synapses and billions of neurons are involved in the ionic exchange of potassium and sodium isotopes. It is important to realize that the process of synaptic plasticity depends upon how well all of the other interactive and interdependent parts of your connectome are functioning at the same time. Now modern scientific knowledge can explain in plain English the way your billions of neurons and trillions of synapses are attached and how they function together to create your self-awareness or perception of your self. This functional biological cause of all of the psycho-social changes in your life gives you the capacity to learn new skills based upon what you choose to think and do! This process makes possible your self-awareness or sense of self with the power to be a creative person, who has willpower and the freedom to choose from a potentially unlimited number of attitudes and behaviors. Since you live in the most modern and technically sophisticated civilization the world has ever known, your choices are limited only by your motivation to create your own personal goals and plans for achieving them. However, your personal freedom is constantly being threatened by destructive negative cultural pressures to conform to the goals and plans of others due to the powerful socialization forces that all children are born into and all adults are exposed to throughout their long lives. Since plasticity functions at both the conscious and the unconscious levels of existence, it is important for you to understand how the process works. When you understand how plasticity works, you can control it by learning how your connectome functions from a scientific point of view. NOTE: See other brain flash cards: neurons #2; potentiation #7; synapses #8; connectome #9; prefrontal cortex #12; pleasure circuit #14. INSTANTLY GO TO: FACT CHECKER for PLASTICITY #10 OR RETURN TO: PLASTICITY: BRAIN FLASH CARDS #10 OR RETURN TO: LIST OF 15 FREE BRAIN FLASH CARDS