Teaching an Old Dog

New Tricks

Previously, scientists thought that the

brain's structure was hard-wired and
immutable. Brain-damaged patients
rarely made full recoveries and the
living brain’s microscopic activities
-i - i

were unobservable. The widely held >

belief was that the brain was a machine:
machines are capable o f many things,
but they do not change and grow.

New research has taught us that the brain is actually plastic, it is able to change based on
experiences. Even in old age. the adult brain retains neuroplasticity and is able to change its
structure and function. It turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Dendrite
N eurons
Neurons process and transmit
information through electrical
and chemical signals.

There are around 86 billion

neurons in the human brain.

Synapses
Synapses are the small gaps Neurotransmitter
between neurons. They allow molecules F Dendrite
information to pass from one
neuron to the next.

Synapse

Birth 3 vrs old

,
Adult Brain
Approx. 2.500 Approx. 15.000 Use it or lose it: 50% o f
synapses synapses neurons do not survive into
Infant brain: large adulthood as rarelv used .

capacity for growth synapses are eliminated Nerve

ending
throughout adolescence.

N eu ro g en esis
The production o f neurons, beginning week 3 o f human
development at a rate o f 250,000/niinute until birth.

Previous thought...
Neurons cannot reproduce after the first tew years ot life
. .

New research: neurogenesis may continue The Future: there is growing hope that
to occur throughout human life span. science will discover an effective way
In 1999. researchers at the Salk Institute. to guide the process o f neuronal growth
San Diego discovered neurogenesis to repair areas o f the brain that are iI
occurring in the brain o f a 72-year-old adult! damaged by injury or disease.
/

Pathw ays N e u ro p la sticity

Neural pathways connect relatively
distant areas o f the brain or nervous
New thoughts and
system, each pathway is associated
skills carve out new
with a particular action or behavior.
pathways.

a
Repetition and
practice strengthen
these pathways,
forming new habits.
I

Old pathways get used

*

less and weaken.

Every time we think, feel or do something,

we strengthen this pathway. Habits are With repeated and direct attention
well travelled pathways - our brain finds towards a desired change, we all have
these things easy to do. the ability to rewire our brains.

Pleasure & Reward

The Mesolimbic Dopamine System
/
The brain's reward pathway encourages us to seek out activities essential to species survival.

Food & Drink Shelter Sex Nurturing

The reward pathway is activated, the brain floods with dopamine.

We feel good, we seek to repeat the activity.

"Hey, this cake is really good.

I ’m going to remember that fo r the future. "

Dopamine Hippocampus lays Desire

reward down memories to eat more

!/

H ijackin g the brain

,

Dopamine release and behaviors essential to survival take place in the midbrain.
which always trumps the cerebral cortex.

The cerebral cortex plays a key role in memory, attention, thought and consciousness.

Substance Reward system Hippocampus

is consumed floods with remembers rapid
dopamine sense of satisfaction

Prefrontal cortex Hippocampus

Drives user to seek Remembers
out the substance rapid sense
o f satisfaction

Amygdala
Q Remembers environmental
Nucleus accumbens T. cues (people, places.
* * Dopamine released JJ sights, sounds)
Environmental cues create intense cravings

“ The reward pathway is intimately connected to our judgm ent

and emotional areas. Judgm ent becomes distorted and the
brain begins to treat the substance as necessary fo r survival. ”

David Sm ith. M .D . co-author o f Unchain Your Brain

j.

The A d d ict's Brain

What makes a substance / behavior addictive?

Speed o f Intensity o f Reliability of V

dopamine release dopamine release dopamine release

Addictive drugs can release 2 to 10 times the amount o f dopamine

.

that natural rewards do and they do it more quickly and more reliably.

D eve lo p in g Tolerance

Repeated Number o f Original Dosage has to Eventually, high

overstimulation dopamine dosage gives be increased doses are required
receptors less reward to achieve just to stave off
<

« r reduced original high withdrawal

HAB I TS & T R I G G E R S
'__'•

“Habits play an important role in our health. Understanding the

biology o f how we develop routines that may be harmful to us.
and how to break those routines and embrace new ones, could
help us change our lifestyles and adopt healthier behaviors. ”

Dr. Nora Volkow - National Institute of Health

Recognize and ayoid triggers:

Enyironniental Social Emotional

triggers triggers triggers
Places, locations, Family, friends, Depression, stress,
smells, sounds other users exhaustion, frustration,
anger, anxiety, loneliness

$
T rig g e rs cause a dow nw ard spiral
i

R eco gnizing trig g e rs

.

“F o r relapse prevention, it is crucial to understand the

environmental cues that trigger cravings. Recovery is
rechanneling the brain so that when those cues come, you r
brain is channeled to brain-healthy activities. Eventually,
when the craving occurs, the brain returns to homeostasis
much more readily.-
Recovetw .
becomes
i
more natural, and
you get the healthy reward. ”
** , ,

David Sm ith. M .D . co-author of Unchain S our Brain

R E W I R I N G T H E BRAIN
Neuroplasticity

‘Neuro ’ = brains ‘Plastic ’ = changeable

a

Neuroplasticity promises a new understanding o f what it means

to be human: we can rew ire our brains ju st by thinking!

Practice, P ractice, Practice!

“Rewiring requires setting new goals and practicing the healthy

pursuit o f reward while the brain is creating new pathways. ”

David Sm ith. M .D . co-author o f Unchain S our Brain

N e u ro p la sticity

Set goals Recognise Make Seek pleasure New pathway New healthy
triggers conscious and reward is strengthened habit is formed
decisions from healthv
pursuits

P rep aratio n

Ayoid Leam to live a Exercise, try Seek support from

substances comfortable and yoga and peers and take care
that provide responsible life in meditation o f yourself:
unhealthy rewards which your brain don’ t get too tired,
is rewarded by too hungry, too
healthy pursuits lonely, too angry

Brain Training
If we don’t learn new skills, we don’t engage our brain's plasticity.
Highly focused activities help keep the brain in good shape, why not try:

Learning a Career Logistical Newr

new language change puzzles environments

“ When everything else is controlled fo r, bilinguals who

come down with Alzheim er's do so about 4 .5 years later
than monolinguals. ”

Dr. Thomas Bak University o f Edinburgh