Non-localizing features

Brain injuries have far-reaching and varied consequences

due to the nature of the brain as the main source of
bodily control. Brain-injured people commonly
experience issues with memory.This can be issues
with either long or short-term memories depending on
the location and severity of the injury. Sometimes
memory can be improved through rehabilitation, and
the improvement can be permanent. Behavioural and
personality changes are also commonly observed due
to changes of the brain structure in areas controlling
hormones or major emotions
Headaches and pain can also occur as a result of a brain
injury either directly from the damage or due to
neurological conditions stemming from the injury. Due
to the changes in the brain as well as the issues
associated with the change in physical and mental
capacity, depression and low self-esteem are common
side effects that can be treated with psychological
help. Antidepressants must be used with caution in
brain injury people due to the potential for undesired
effects because of the already altered brain chemistry.
As time progresses, and the severity of injury
becomes clear, there are further responses
that may become apparent. Due to loss of
blood flow or damaged tissue, sustained
during the injury, amnesia and aphasia may
become permanent, and apraxia has been
documented in patients. Amnesia is a
condition in which a person is unable to
remember things. Aphasia is the loss or
impairment of word comprehension or
use. Apraxia is a motor disorder caused by
damage to the brain, and may be more
common in those who have been left brain
damaged, with loss of mechanical knowledge
critical. 
Headaches, occasional dizziness, and fatigue—all
temporary symptoms of brain trauma—may become
permanent, or may not disappear for a long time.
There are documented cases of lasting psychological
effects as well, such as emotional swings often
caused by damage to the various parts of the brain
that control human emotions and behaviour. Some
who have experienced emotional changes related
to brain damage may have emotions that come very
quickly and are very intense, but have very little
lasting effect.
Emotional changes may not be triggered by a specific
event, and can be a cause of stress to the injured
party and their family or
friends. Often, counselling is suggested for those
who experience this effect after their injury, and
may be available as an individual or group session.
It is important to note that the long term
psychological and physiological effects
will vary by person and injury. For
example, perinatal brain damage has
been implicated in cases of
neurodevelopmental impairments and
psychiatric illnesses. If any concerning
symptoms, signs, or changes to
behaviorus are occurring, a healthcare
provider should be consulted.
A Brief History of Neuroplasticity
The term “neuroplasticity” was first used by Polish
neuroscientist Jerzy Konorski in 1948 to describe
observed changes in neuronal structure although it
wasn’t widely used until the 1960s.
However, the idea goes back even farther ,the “father of
neuroscience,” Santiago Ramón y Cajal, talked about
“neuronal plasticity” in the early 1900s (Fuchs &
Flügge, 2014). He recognized that, in contrast to
current belief at that time, brains could indeed change
after a person had reached adulthood.
In the 1960s, it was discovered that neurons could
“reorganize” after a traumatic event. Further research
found that stress can change not only the functions
but also the structure of the brain itself (Fuchs &
Flügge, 2014).
In the late 1990s, researchers found that stress can
actually kill brain cells—although these conclusions
are still not completely certain.
For many decades, it was thought that the brain was a
“nonrenewable organ,” that brain cells are bestowed in
a finite amount and they slowly die as we age, whether
we attempt to keep them around or not. As Ramón y
Cajal said, “in adult centers, the nerve paths are
something fixed, ended, immutable. Everything may
die, nothing may be regenerated” (as cited in Fuchs &
Flügge, 2014).
This research found that there are other ways for brain
cells to die, other ways for them to adapt and
reconnect, and perhaps even ways for them to regrow
or replenish. This is what’s known as “neurogenesis.”
Neuroplasticity vs. Neurogenesis
Although related, neuroplasticity and neurogenesis are
two different concepts.
Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to form new
connections and pathways and change how its circuits
are wired; neurogenesis is the even more amazing
ability of the brain to grow new neurons (Bergland,
2017).
You can see how neurogenesis is a more exciting
concept. It’s one thing to work with what we already
have, but the potential to actually replace neurons that
have died may open up new frontiers in the treatment
and prevention of dementia, recovery from traumatic
brain injuries, and other areas we probably haven’t
even thought of.
There are two main types of neuroplasticity:

Structural neuroplasticity, in which the strength of the

connections between neurons (or synapses) changes.

Functional neuroplasticity, which describes the permanent

changes in synapses due to learning and development
(Demarin, Morović, & Béne, 2014).

Both types have exciting potential, but structural

neuroplasticity is probably the one that is more attended
to at the moment; we already know that some functions
can be rerouted, relearned, and re-established in the
brain, but changes to the actual structure of the brain are
where many of the exciting possibilities lie.
 
In addition to changes in the way the brain
works and functional adaptations,
neuroplasticity offers potential avenues
for psychological change as well.
As Christopher Bergland (2017) notes,
“One could speculate that this process
opens up the possibility to reinvent
yourself and move away from the status
quo or to overcome past traumatic events
that evoke anxiety and stress. Hardwired
fear-based memories often lead to
avoidance behaviours that can hold you
back from living your life to the fullest.”
Psychologists already use medications
and chemicals to change the way our
brain works, and psychology has
certainly put forth tons of effort to learn
how to change the way the brain works
through modifying our thought patterns.
What if we really can make permanent,
significant changes to our brain
structure and function through simple
activities that we often do in a normal
day?
This is where the importance of learning
comes in.
Neuroplasticity and Learning
The relation between neuroplasticity and learning is an
easy one to surmise—when we learn, we form new
pathways in the brain. Each new lesson has the
potential to connect new neurons and change our
brain’s default mode of operation.
Of course, not all learning is created equal—learning new
facts does not necessarily take advantage of the
amazing neuroplasticity of the brain, but learning a
new language or a musical instrument certainly does.
It is through this sort of learning that we may be able
to figure out how to purposefully rewire the brain.
The extent to which we apply the brain’s near-magical
abilities is also dependent on how invested we are in
promoting neuroplasticity and how we approach life in
general.
A Connection Between Growth Mindset and
Neuroplasticity
These two concepts mirror each other; a growth
mindset is a mindset that one’s innate skills,
talents, and abilities can be developed and/or
improved with determination, while
neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to
adapt and develop beyond the usual
developmental period of childhood.
A person with a growth mindset believes that he
or she can get smarter, better, or more skilled
at something through sustained effort—which
is exactly what neuroplasticity tells us. You
might say that a growth mindset is simply
accepting the idea of neuroplasticity on a
broad level!