Neurorehabilitation is all about using the brain’s amazing ability to change and adapt. This involves two main ideas: structural plasticity and functional plasticity. Let’s break them down:
Structural Plasticity:
This is when the brain actually changes its physical structure.
When you do rehabilitation exercises, like practicing movements over and over, your brain can create new connections called synapses.
It can even make new nerve cells, especially in parts that were hurt by an injury or stroke.
These changes are really important because they help the brain find new ways to do things it used to do, filling in the gaps left by the injury.
Functional Plasticity:
This is about how the brain can shift tasks from damaged areas to healthy ones.
For example, if one part of the brain gets hurt, neurorehabilitation can help other parts take over the lost functions.
Techniques like constraint-induced therapy encourage using the affected arm or leg, which helps the brain reorganize itself and recover.
In short, neurorehabilitation uses both types of plasticity to help people recover.
It focuses on specific activities and therapies to make sure the brain not only rewires itself but also learns to use other parts effectively.
The main goal is to improve recovery by helping the brain adapt and stay strong.
Neurorehabilitation is all about using the brain’s amazing ability to change and adapt. This involves two main ideas: structural plasticity and functional plasticity. Let’s break them down:
Structural Plasticity:
This is when the brain actually changes its physical structure.
When you do rehabilitation exercises, like practicing movements over and over, your brain can create new connections called synapses.
It can even make new nerve cells, especially in parts that were hurt by an injury or stroke.
These changes are really important because they help the brain find new ways to do things it used to do, filling in the gaps left by the injury.
Functional Plasticity:
This is about how the brain can shift tasks from damaged areas to healthy ones.
For example, if one part of the brain gets hurt, neurorehabilitation can help other parts take over the lost functions.
Techniques like constraint-induced therapy encourage using the affected arm or leg, which helps the brain reorganize itself and recover.
In short, neurorehabilitation uses both types of plasticity to help people recover.
It focuses on specific activities and therapies to make sure the brain not only rewires itself but also learns to use other parts effectively.
The main goal is to improve recovery by helping the brain adapt and stay strong.