Neuroplasticity: Our Integrative Approach

By Ethan Zeigler

Imagine driving down a well-paved interstate and look to your left and see a sprawling network of roads springing up one by one, connecting to one another in marvelous ways. Each and every road forms a connection with another and creates a lattice of efficiency, functionality and purpose. This is healthy neuroplasticity in play. But what is neuroplasticity? Neuroplasticity is our brain’s ability to adapt and learn based on what we experience day to day. More specifically, neuroplasticity is the mechanism through which our brain builds new neuronal connections, prunes old unused ones and adapts when faced with an injury. The word Plasticity refers to an object’s malleability, or ability to change. The word Neuro refers to neurons, the building blocks of the brain and nervous system. Neuroplasticity is influenced by a numerous amount of activities and experiences that can both increase and decrease our brains ability to adapt and is primarily classified into two main categories: Functional Plasticity and Structural Plasticity.

Functional Plasticity is our brains ability to rewire functionality from one damaged area to another whereas Structural Plasticity is our brain’s ability to physically change its structure as a result of learning. This astounding mechanism is an inherent gift that begins well before birth and extends throughout the entirety of life. Even in adulthood, new neurons can form–this is the notion of Neurogenesis–and from themselves branch out into new pathways that facilitate growth. Being a constant process that we as humans engage in, many activities affect our brains ability to adapt and internalize new information. Listening to a new song that just came on the radio, memorizing the alphabet as a child or taking a new road to work are all examples of us engaging in neuroplasticity in life.

Nevertheless, there are activities that inhibit, or decrease our brain’s ability to learn and grow. Addiction, or Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is classified by the American Medical Association (AMA) as a primary, chronic disease. Substance use and engaging in the activity of consuming dangerous substances, like any activity, will have an impact on neuroplasticity. If healthy neuroplasticity looks like a tree spreading its roots through a garden, addiction can take the place of both the pesticide and the shovel. Chronic substance use can lead to the destruction of specific neuronal pathways as well as lead to the creation of new, harmful or maladaptive pathways. Due to intense activation of neurons as a result of various illicit substances, the brain will eventually become trained to associate these behaviors with reward. The more repetition, the stronger this association becomes; this can present itself as drug-seeking. This shows that the behaviors and activities that we choose to engage in have an effect on our brains ability to adapt and change, both positively and negatively.

At Lake Point Recovery and Wellness, we place a priority on incorporating the concept of neuroplasticity into our curriculum. We engage our clients with a wide array of programs and curricula, pulling primarily from Living in Balance, a peer-reviewed program that incorporates aspects from CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), experiential and 12-step approaches. This paired with programs such as Music Therapy and Art Therapy help individuals learn how to engage in healthy, proactive lifestyles that will facilitate positive neuroplastic growth. Recovery is a journey, one through which an individual will travel hills and valleys; ups and downs. Every journey begins with a singular step and at Lake Point we are dedicated to giving our clients the encouragement, confidence and knowledge so that they can face what may lie ahead.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/neuroplasticity
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3181920/
https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-misuse-addiction
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/public-education/brain-basics/brain-basics-life-and-death-neuron