This document discusses neuroplasticity and how the brain can consciously reshape pathways through attention and repetition. While we are just beginning to understand brain growth, activities like physical exercise, meditation, and video games may help improve overall brain function by increasing connections between brain cells and processing information more quickly. The key aspects that help form new neural pathways are attention to the activity and generating confidence and dopamine, which aids neurogenesis and making the pathways more effective.

2. Neuroplasticity
 Reshaping brain pathways
 Having the ability to consciously change
the way the brain processes
 This is a new uncharted area of science,
the reality is we are only on the tip of the
iceberg to understanding how brain
growth works.

3. IS There a Magic Brain Work
Out?
 We know using your
muscles makes you
stronger.
 Is that the same
concept in the
brain? Does using
your brain make
you smarter?

4. Neural Pathways
 Our nervous system
is wired with
millions of neurons
that run in pathways
that connect like a
complex road.
When we learn new
behaviors we make
new paths.

5. Neural Pathways
 The more we use a certain pathway the
more efficient that neural path gets.
 Our thought or action becomes faster
and requires less effort.

6. Forging New Roads
 However…to make new pathway it
requires more than the repetition used to
build muscles.
 It also requires attention.

7. Does it carry over?
 It seems that the brain works by building
efficiency of one neural path at a time.
Only the one you give attention too.
That basically means there is no
crossover.
 For example, doing crossword puzzles
won’t make you less likely to remember
where you put your glasses but it will
make you better at crosswords

8. Common Attitudes to Meditation
 I am going to do this and must get it
right.
 I should focus 100%.
 I am going to try extremely hard.

9. Meditation
 It is about getting somewhere you
already are.

10. Some Benefits of Meditation
 Your mind gets stronger and faster.
 Increases connections between brain
cells.
 Gyrification-linked to processing
information quickly.

11. Aids in emotional stability

12. Pain may be less of an
issue

14. Dealing with stress

15. STRESS Internally caused
 Fears
 Repetitive thoughts
 Worrying about future events
 Unrealistic expectation
 Habitual behavior patterns
 Overscheduling
 Failing to be assertive
 Procrastination

16. PROCRASTINATION

18. Is it easy?
No it isn’t easy to pay attention to our brain
operations.
Instinctually we like to use a very
automatic portion of our brain – the one
that tells us what to do when we feel
threatened.
To form new pathways we have to use a
more complex portion of our brain called
the prefrontal cortex.

19. Activities that help
This is a very new area of study where
everything is uncharted waters.
Very few things claiming to help the brain
show any evidence in scientific studies.

20. Except….
 However there are a few activities that
show promise to improving overall brain
function and control
 Physical exercise
 Meditation
 Video games?

21. Evidence
 Studies have shown Monks can control
their body temperature through
meditation!

22. Confidence is key
 Dopamine is the pleasure drug released
by our bodies. It is released when we
are happy or confident.
 Studies show that generating new
pathways is more effective if attention is
given to the activity as well as dopamine
is present
 If you believe you can do it you will.

23. Take home points
 You are already making the effort.
 Continue to pay attention to the
pathways you want to create, not the
ones you want to remove.
 Build your confidence to aid inn
neurogenesis.