title: Plastic brains.
abstract: Memories fade, alas, and more rapidly with age, though the aging brain holds more tenaciously to the longer past. Or does it? The brain may be continually editing those seemingly clear memories. That the immature brain constructs, "sculpts" itself by configuring its neural linkages to make best use of the sensory input received in early life has been known for decades. The more recent news is that mature brains also re-arrange these linkages as sensory inputs change. So what? Well, by some estimates inadequate stimulation in early childhood leaves 25% of Canadians neurally challenged by the modern world. Countries with systematic early child development programs show better results. Are there also opportunities for exploiting the plasticity of adult brains? (Or is that already happening, all around us?).
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Evans