How to increase the number of neural connections. How our brain creates neural connections (simplified about the complex before the neurography course)

Instructions

You can improve the neural connections of the brain and thereby stimulate intellectual activity with the help of mental exercises. Start doing special exercises develop memory, start studying foreign languages, solve crosswords, play mind games, solve math problems, etc. Reading also increases concentration and stimulates imagination and thought processes. Try to devote at least half an hour a day to reading domestic or foreign classics, historical literature or poetry.

Sugar is necessary to improve brain function, but this does not mean that you need to consume sweets in unlimited quantities. Eat foods with natural starches and sugars. These are potatoes, rice, legumes, nuts, brown bread, etc.: such food is digested more slowly, due to which the brain receives a much greater boost of energy. Drink at least 2 liters of water per day; dehydration also often causes loss of performance and brain fatigue. Brain activity largely depends on the amount of food consumed. According to scientists, satiety has a negative effect on mental activity. Get into the habit of getting up from the table with a slight feeling of hunger.

Work without good rest also always leads to decreased performance. Give yourself periodic breaks, and during your lunch break, try to completely disconnect from work and chat with colleagues. Communicative communication helps sharpen memory and activate brain functions.

Don't forget about weekends. Moreover best vacation time spent in nature is considered - go to the forest to pick berries, mushrooms, fish, make barbecue, go hiking or work in the country. All this will give your brain a chance to take a break from hard, stressful everyday life, give you a boost of energy and increase your performance.

Equally important is healthy good sleep. Lack of sleep leads to premature fatigue and decreased concentration. Try to follow a routine: go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. It is advisable to stick to a routine even on weekends.

Bad habits prevent you from concentrating on work and study, reduce your productivity, reduce the amount of work done and worsen its quality.

Regular physical exercise helps increase vascular elasticity and improve blood circulation, restore neural connections, which ultimately improves brain performance. Head and neck massage, which improves blood flow in the cerebral cortex, is very beneficial for cellular cerebral circulation. If you devote 10 minutes every day to a massage for several weeks, then by the evening the ability to think clearly and clearly will not disappear, and fatigue will not be so strong.

Experts have proven that some colors and smells have a calming effect on the brain, while others, on the contrary, are irritating. So, it stimulates brain function perfectly yellow. It tones, invigorates, elevates mood and improves mental performance. As for smells, brain activity Citrus and woody aromas work well.

Has a neural structure. It is fixed in the brain in the form of a neural formation.

The number of neurons is huge. Scientists put numbers between 10 and 100 billion. Neurons are nerve cells in our brain that conduct nerve impulses. Impulses travel at enormous speed: the distance from one neuron to another message travels in less than 1/5000th of a second. Thanks to this we feel, think, act.

When a person is born, he already has large number neural formations responsible for the work internal organs, respiratory systems, blood supply, elimination of body waste and others. From birth to two years, the number of neural formations in a person increases significantly, as he learns to walk, talk, recognize objects and people, and gains experience getting to know the world around him. Resources that are external to a newborn person quickly become internal, inseparable from the personality.

How are neural formations formed?

Each neuron is like root system plants where there is one large root (axon), and there are branches from this root (dendrites).

Every time a message passes through the brain, many nerve impulses jump from one neuron to another.

The transmission of such messages does not occur directly, but through an intermediary. The intermediary is chemical substance, called a mediator. When transmitting messages, one neuron accumulates transmitters at the tip of the “root” and then lets them “free float”. The task of mediators is to transfer a nerve impulse to another neuron through a certain barrier (synapse). Transmitters can only land at a specific location on a neighboring neuron. And the mooring point accepts only one type of mediators. But the transmitter itself can attach to more than one neuron.

Depending on the message carried by the neurotransmitter, the nerve impulse either continues on its way or stops right there. While the second neuron “reads” the message and “decides” whether the nerve impulse will continue its path further, the transmitter remains at the pier.

If the neuron “decides” what to do next, either the impulse travels further along the chain, or the information in the neuron is neutralized and the transmitter is destroyed. This impulse transfer system helps us filter truly important incoming information from irrelevant so-called “noise.”

If messages are repeated, mediators quickly and easily reach the mooring point on a neighboring neuron, and a stable neural connection is formed.

Since neurons have many dendrites, a neuron can simultaneously form many transmitters with different messages for other neurons.

Previously, scientists believed that the connections between neurons are fixed at birth and are not influenced by human experience. Today the opinion has changed. How many such connections will be created by the nervous system is greatly influenced by the events of our lives - by the huge diversity of what we absorb into ourselves from infancy. As we learn new skills and encounter new feelings in a complex neural network, we constantly form new connections. Therefore, the interneuron connections of the brain for each of us have a unique structure.

At the same time, we can rebuild the brain by creating new neural connections This brain ability is called neuroplasticity.

Resource as a neural connection.

Any internal resource is, in fact, a skill, a strong neural connection. A strong neural connection is formed in two main ways:

1. Simultaneously, under the influence of strong emotions.

2. Gradually, through repeated repetition.

For example, when a person learns to drive a car, there is no structure or neural connection yet. The driving skill has not yet been developed, the resource is still external. In order to hold the steering wheel, press the pedals, turn on the turn signals, react to signs and road conditions, and regulate the level of fear and anxiety, a lot of energy is required.

This is the energy of attention and the energy of motivation. Hand here, foot here, look in the mirrors, and there is a pedestrian, and also signs and other cars. Tension and anxiety out of habit. If the energy of motivation is spent, plus there is a colossal loss of energy of attention, and they are not compensated by the pleasure of the driving process, then a person often postpones training until better times.

If the stress from such “driving” is not so great and is covered by pleasure, then the person will learn to drive. Over and over again, neurons in the human brain will be arranged in a certain configuration that ensures the process of acquiring the skill of driving.

The more repetitions there are, the faster new neural connections will be formed. But only if the energy spent on acquiring the skill is compensated in excess.

Moreover, neural connections will be formed not in one place, but in several areas of the brain that are involved when a person drives a car.

In the future, less energy will be needed for the driving process, and the easier and more enjoyable the process will be. Neural connections have been formed, and now the task is to “settle” these connections, sew them into the subcortex, so that they turn into a stable neural formation. And the better a person does, the more pleasure and positive reinforcement he gets, the faster the work goes.

When the neural formation is formed, the system becomes autonomous, less and less energy is required, it begins to flow rather than be spent. It is then that the external resource becomes internal.

And now a person can listen to music, talk, think about his own things, and his mind will follow the road, his body will carry out the work itself. necessary actions, and even in an extreme situation, the mind and body will cope on their own, without the participation of consciousness, and will take the necessary measures. This is exactly what happened to me when I fell out of reality and did not remember how I came home. I wrote about this

And if you add an element of creativity here, the neural structure in the brain will become even more beautiful, complex and flexible.

Any resource can be pumped up to such an extent that it becomes a skill built into the personality through the neural structure.

Neural connections and internal control.

Any actions have some kind of developmental effect only when they occur on the verge of losing control over the situation. And the more pronounced this facet is, the greater the effect. Loss of control forces us to form new neural connections, making the structure more extensive.

And this vastness is achieved by capturing “open” neurons into the network.

Look, a constantly working neuron eventually becomes covered with a sheath of a special substance called myelin. This substance significantly increases the efficiency of the neuron as a conductor of electrical impulses. Neurons covered with a myelin sheath work without expending unnecessary energy. Neurons with a myelin sheath appear white rather than gray, so we share our medulla into “white” and “gray”. Typically, the covering of neurons by the membrane in humans is active up to two years, and decreases by seven years.
There are “open” neurons that are poor in myelin, in which the impulse conduction speed is only 1-2 m/s, that is, 100 times slower than that of myelinated neurons.

Loss of control forces the brain to “search” for and connect “open” neurons into its network to form a new piece of neural formation “responsible” for new experiences.
That is why we are simply not interested in performing actions in which the possibility of losing control is completely excluded. They are boring and routine, and do not require much brain activity. And if the brain does not receive enough activity, it degrades, unused neurons die off, the person becomes dull and stupid.

If the loss of control each time leads to the formation of the desired result, then we speak of positive reinforcement.

This is how children learn to walk, ride a bike, swim, and so on. Moreover, the more hours spent on some activity, the more myelinated neurons in the brain, which means the higher its productivity.

One convincing evidence received after scanning the brain of a professional musician. There has been a lot of research into how a musician's brain differs from a musician's brain. ordinary people. In these studies, the brain was scanned in a diffusion MRI machine, giving scientists information about the tissue and fibers within the scanned area.

The study found that practicing the piano contributed to the development of white matter in areas of the brain associated with finger motor skills, visual and auditory centers processing, while other areas of the brain were no different from those of an “ordinary person.”

Internal control and habits.

Modern neurophysiology knows that time for the formation of a branched structure of neuron processes – 40-45 days, and the time required for formation of new neurons – 3-4 months.

Therefore, in order for a resource to turn from external to internal, it is enough to form a NEW neural formation for a specific task. This will take at least 120 days.

But under three conditions.

1. The resource must be pumped daily.
2. It must be accompanied by loss
3. The energy must be compensated in excess.

Let's go back to the car example. Loss internal control happens every time a driver gets behind the wheel. Moreover, this does not depend on driving experience. There is always an internal adjustment of the driver to the car and the road, to road users, to weather conditions. The mobilization of internal resources is always ongoing, even among the most experienced.

The difference between an experienced and a novice driver will be that the experienced one has already acquired stable neural connections and the amplitude of loss of control is not felt by him. But an inexperienced driver can lose control so much that nervous tension will be visible to the naked eye. But the more often and longer such a driver drives, the faster and better he will cope with the situation of loss of control.

After 120 days, driving skill will become a HABIT, that is, it will not take away all the free energy. A person will already be able to play music in the car, or have conversations with passengers. The newly formed neural formation is still not stable, but already performs a function for a specific task.

If a person develops the driving skill longer, then after some time the neural formation responsible for this skill will become stable, autonomous, and stable. If a person does not use the newly created neural formation, then after some time it will disintegrate and collapse. Therefore, often people who have a license cannot drive a car.

Any other resource is made internal according to the same principle. An internal resource is nothing more than the formation of stable neural connections in the brain structures, characterized by an increased readiness for functioning compared to other neural response chains.

The more we repeat any actions, thoughts, words, the more active and automatic the corresponding neural pathways become.

All this is true for the formation of “bad” habits. And here I’m talking not only about alcohol and drugs, but also about the habit of complaining about life, whining, blaming everyone and everything for your difficult life, being mean, going over your head, being cunning and dodging to get what you need.

Here, too, there is conditional “positive” reinforcement, when a person receives what he needs through such actions. And remembers this as the “correct” path leading to the result.

There are also neural formations responsible for patterned attitudes, limiting beliefs, and persistent programs that a person cannot get rid of for years. These neural formations are especially strong in the area of ​​money, self-confidence, and in the area of ​​human relationships. These neural formations are formed long before the child can consciously approach these issues. The formation of limiting beliefs and various emotional blocks occurs under the influence of parents and society.

And it also very much depends on the environment, country, history, mentality.

These long-standing, stable neural formations can be destroyed. This requires from 1 to 5 years of daily “work”.“Works” on the formation of NEW beliefs, NEW actions, NEW environment. Then, in place of some neural formations, others will appear.

Considering that limiting beliefs take decades to form, the opportunity to remove them in just three years seems tempting.

Yes, easy to say, not easy to do. To “think about it”, here’s a story for you.

Imagine you have received an inheritance - a 100-hectare subsoil plot for diamond mining.

You have entered into inheritance rights and then representatives of the Diamond Corporation contact you. Like, we want to lease your plot for 50 years, everything we get is ours, and we will pay you a fixed rent monthly during these 50 years.

You thought and agreed. So what? There is money for the most necessary things, and my head doesn’t hurt about where to get it.

The Diamond Corporation has caught up with equipment and people, and work has begun.

From time to time you look at how they do it, whether it works. And after a while you realize that, to put it mildly, you sold yourself short. But a contract is a contract; it can neither be terminated prematurely nor rejected.

After a couple of years, you realize that it’s not just that you cheapened out, you screwed up with the site... Judging by the reports, the Diamond Corporation is doing very well. You understand that in 50 years it is unlikely that you will be able to dig up at least one diamond lying there. And inflation eats up your rent every year.

You hire a lawyer to negotiate with Diamond Corporation. You want to either increase your rent or maybe your share of the profits.

No problem, they say at the corporation, we are ready to renegotiate the terms of the contract and increase your rent for the same 50 years.

And then your lawyer tells you that he has found a loophole in the contract, a completely legal one, and the contract can be terminated completely officially, and without penalties.

Now you have two options:

1. Terminate the contract and the plot becomes your property again;
2. Keep silent about the loophole and agree to the rent.

What will you do? Write in the comments or on a piece of paper. What's your logic?

Well, did you write it?

And now the continuation.

The diamond site is you.

And the diamonds in it are yours. Managing your development, your habits, is like managing your own diamond plot. And even if you think that you do not have an area with diamonds, but a desert or swamp, maybe you haven’t explored it well?

P.S. The case with diamonds was stolen from Elena Rezanova.

For many centuries human body, its life-supporting functions, psyche and perception system were one of the most labor-intensive objects for comprehensive and in-depth study. With the advent of new directions and research in medicine, genetics, neurobiology and psychology, it has become possible to draw many parallels about the mutual influence of our psychomental processes and biological functions body.

In this article, we will review from the perspective of neurobiology and issiidiology the relationships of some parts of the brain and the neuronal circuits passing through them with psychological states and human habits.

1. A little about neurons

Neural network (human nervous system) - a complex network of structures that enables interconnected behavior different systems in the body. A neuron is a special cell consisting of a nucleus, a body and numerous processes - dendrites (long processes are called axons). The contact areas between neurons are called synapses. The average human brain has a resource of 100 billion neurons. Each cell, in turn, can produce approximately 200 thousand synaptic branches. Occur in neurons very complex processes information processing. With their help, the body's responses to external and internal irritations are formed.

One of the key tasks of a neuron is the transmission of an electrochemical impulse along a neural circuit through accessible (resonant) connections with other neurons. In this case, each of the connections is characterized by a certain value, which is called synaptic strength. It determines what will happen to the electrochemical impulse when it is transmitted to another neuron: will it strengthen, weaken, or remain unchanged.

A biological neural network has a high degree of connectivity: one neuron sometimes has several thousand connections with other neurons. However, this is an approximate value, which is different in each specific case. The transmission of impulses from neuron to neuron generates some excitation of the entire network of neurons. Simplifying somewhat, we can say that each neural network represents a thought, a skill, a memory, that is, a certain block of information.

Any of our thoughts changes the way the brain works, paving new paths for electrical impulses. In this case, the electrical signal must overcome the synapse gap to form new connections between nerve cells. This road is the most difficult for him to travel the first time, but as it is repeated, when the signal overcomes the synapse again and again, the connections become “wider and stronger”; the number of synapses and connections between neurons increases. New neural micronetworks are formed, into which new knowledge, beliefs, habits, behavior patterns, and human skills are “built in.”

Here I would like to emphasize that the specifics of these beliefs will depend on which part of the brain the neural circuits are most often involved.

2. Brain regions: neocortex and limbic system

Today it is believed that distinctive feature human brain from the animal brain is a noticeably enlarged area frontal lobes, which represent one of the sections of the neocortex (from Latin neo - new, cortex - cortex). This section of the cerebral hemispheres was formed quite late in the process of evolution. And if in predators it is barely outlined, then in modern man the frontal lobes occupy about 25% of the total area cerebral hemispheres brain

In other words, this human part of the brain is responsible for how well we are able to organize our thoughts and actions in accordance with the goals that stand before us. Also, the full functioning of the frontal lobes gives each of us the opportunity to compare our actions with the intentions for which we perform them, identify inconsistencies and correct mistakes. It is the center of concentration, awareness, and control of instincts and emotions. Responsible for behavior that is repeated many times and performed on “autopilot” left side neocortex. The right side “turns on” when a person is faced with unfamiliar information, is about to perform a new task, or makes an unusual choice.

At the same time, each of us can recognize ourselves in such manifestations as sudden mood swings, colored by a pessimistic or negative outlook on life, decreased motivation, aspirations, self-esteem, increased feelings of guilt or helplessness, and many others. similar conditions.

These behaviors are regulated by the archicortex, or limbic system. In “people” and animals, this subcortical brain structure is involved in the formation of both negative (fear, defensive and aggressive behavior) and primitive positive emotions. Moreover, its size is positively correlated with aggressive behavior: in less developed “personalities” it is always larger.

Why is it so difficult for us humans to control the degree of activity of the neural networks of the limbic system?

One of the main reasons is the individual’s still fairly stable focus on his own interests. For this reason, parts of the brain associated with emotions and receiving are involved. various types pleasures: tactile, gustatory, olfactory, aesthetic and others; At the root of many motivations is the receipt of benefits and the desire for comfort, which encourages the individual to follow the path of least resistance to these states.

The limbic system causes automatic (often unconscious) reactions at the instinctive level. Instincts are a set of complex hereditarily determined patterns of behavior that we automatically use in our everyday life. However, many basic animal instincts: herd, sexual, self-preservation instincts in the process of evolution were adapted to the human way of life and acquired a slightly different form. For example, the instinct of self-preservation can manifest itself in people as a tendency to increased caution, suspiciousness, intolerance to pain, anxiety regarding everything unknown, self-centeredness. All this can become one of the reasons for the formation of a “difficult character” in a person, which is characterized by excessive selfishness, suspicion, hysteria, cowardice and other qualities. Another example is the instinct of procreation, which manifests itself primarily in the reproduction of offspring and intersexual relations, but it has also been significantly transformed and manifests itself in people as an excessive desire for clothes, self-decoration, panic obsession with one’s appearance and figure, coquetry, flirting, narcissism, the desire to expose myself. These are just a few examples that demonstrate that most of our everyday interests are dominated by neural circuits of archaic animal programs for survival and self-obsession.

Some people may not even imagine that these manifestations are not only a non-human heritage, but also do not allow us to fully develop, overcome our shortcomings and imperfections with ease. Thus, reinforcing daily various types instincts, such neuronal circuits are strengthened and “densified”, causing the formation of impulsive and largely negative patterns of behavior.

It is important to note here that the most effective way to “slow down” these neural circuits- learn to analyze and distinguish your own traits and behavior patterns, trying to connect the departments of the neocortex, through awareness and self-observation. And this requires control over your current skills and selfish states to strengthen other neural networks responsible for “new” harmonious thinking patterns.

3. Interconnectedness of neural networks

In addition to all of the above, I would like to note a few more features of neural networks. One of fundamental rules neuroscience says: neurons used together connect. If you do something once, a scattered group of neurons forms a network, but if you do not repeat this action sufficient quantity once, then you will not “tromp a path” in the brain corresponding to such a quality of choices and thinking. When we perform certain actions over and over again, the connection between nerve cells is strengthened and it becomes much easier to “turn on” this neural network again. As a result, even fleeting thoughts and sensations can leave a corresponding trace in our brain for a long time.

Here it is worth thinking about what neuronal circuits we lay down with our thinking and actions every day. Which thinking tendencies are more characteristic of us: harmony, creation or destruction, destruction? What kind of “atmosphere” do we create around ourselves and what useful and joyful things do we bring to other people?

All the neural networks formed in our brain are not isolated, but are closely and complexly interconnected, and it is these relationships that form complex ideas, deep experiences, memories from life, images of long-experienced emotions. The human brain interacts with millions of bits of information every second, but we are only able to consciously perceive a small portion of it.

For example, the neural network that stores the concept of “apple” in the information space of our consciousness is not one simple complex of neurons. This is a fairly large network connected to other networks that store concepts such as “red”, “fruit”, “round”, “delicious”, “juicy”, “sweet”, etc. This neural network is also connected to many others networks, so when we see an apple, the visual cortex (which is also connected here) accesses this network to give us an image of an apple for that particular specific situation. In another situation, depending on the current mood mental state person, he will connect completely different neural networks to the concept of an apple and will receive correspondingly different experiences, for example, “sour”, “hard”, “not juicy”, etc.

Each person has his own collection of a huge variety of experiences and skills, represented in the neural networks of his brain. Doctor medical sciences D. Dispenza explains: “What kind of family did you grow up in, how many brothers and sisters did you have, where did you study, what religion did your loved ones profess, what culture did they belong to, where did you live, whether they loved you and encouraged you as a child or beat and offended you - all this and much more affected the formation of the neural networks of your brain.”

According to the concept of the author of Iissiidiology, the formation of new neural connections is influenced not only by the above factors. One of the postulates of Iissiidiology is the theory of the multivariate, multiworld existence of all forms, including people. At the same time, an infinite number of Universes, worlds and our personal interpretations in them exist with us. From this follows the following principle: due to constant mutual influence on each other different options“ourselves,” we form a close gene-wave resonance connection, due to which information is exchanged and received into the perception system for further decoding through DNA with the help of neurons and hormones.

In this way, the “neural tissue” of our perception of the world is formed and, in response to stimuli from the environment, certain zones of neural networks are activated, causing certain biochemical processes in the brain and hormonal system. These processes, in turn, entail corresponding emotional reactions, color perceptions, and determine attitudes towards people and events in our lives.

Such informational influence on us is always carried out according to the resonant principle (resonance - an increase in the frequency of oscillations due to the coincidence of certain characteristics) principle. To some extent, the expression “attraction of like by like” is appropriate here. In other words, by engaging in new behavior patterns, a person begins to gradually resonate with the corresponding version of the beliefs of the “other self,” thereby strengthening these neural chains.

As mentioned above, if you often respond in one way, a certain neural network is activated and the corresponding behavior turns into a stable habit. The more a network is used, the stronger it becomes and the easier it is to access.

The reverse process is also possible: stable connections between neurons that are not used together weaken. Whenever we stop or prevent an action, mental process, formed into a neural network, interconnected nerve cells and groups of cells weaken their connection. In this case, the thinnest dendrites extending from each neuron and connecting it with other neurons are freed up for communication with others. This mechanism is due to neuroplasticity (neurogenesis) - depending on the stimulation of neurons, some connections become stronger and more effective, while others weaken, releasing the potential for the formation of new ones.

Authors of the book “Brain: quick guide“D. Lewis and A. Webster argue that a person needs a daily “shake-up,” otherwise new neural connections necessary for balanced mental-sensory development will not be formed in the brain.

When the brain gets used to not thinking, not deciding complex tasks and do not overcome difficulties, do not transform internal and external conflicts, then development is inhibited and the personality gradually degrades, because electrical impulses use paths already familiar to them, without creating new ones.

In the series of books on Iissiidiology, a model of intellectual-altruistic development and lifestyle is proposed for the development of neural circuits towards the highly sensitive and highly intellectual potential of the individual. This allows us to use the Human parts of the brain to a greater extent and harmonize the activity of selfish-impulsive choices and programs. Iissiidiology and the Centers of Intelligence and Altruism, created for its practical application, are aimed at radical positive human reformatting and transformation of neural networks that correspond to the model of our perception of ourselves and the world around us.

4. Conclusion

From a physiological point of view, habits are nothing more than the formation in the brain structures of stable neural connections, characterized by an increased readiness for functioning compared to other neural response chains. The more we repeat any actions, thoughts, words, the more active and automatic the corresponding neural pathways become.

Different departments The hemispheres of the brain play their necessary role in this process. When their activities are synchronized with each other, the transfer of information between neurons becomes optimal.

For a person, the balance between the sensory-emotional sphere (controlled by the limbic system) and highly intellectual activity (responsible by the neocortex departments) is of great importance. Personality develops and functions most effectively when there is no imbalance between the “advanced” areas of the brain and the older (primitive) ones or its degree is insignificant.

The brain is more complex structure than just a large collection of different populations of neurons, axons and glial cells. This is one of the main mechanisms for adapting what comes to us from external environment any kind of information. It acts as its “decoder” and “interpreter” for our perception system. The executive functions of this process are performed thanks to the hormonal system, which reflects on physiological level the result of a person’s internal psychomental activity at every moment of time.

On the other hand, our self-awareness is a “regulator” of any biological processes And nervous system, helping to stimulate the activity of certain parts of the brain. This pattern always provides us with the opportunity to create the necessary image of ourselves, as well as the most harmonious habits in our daily life, which will become the basis for inner harmony.

It is known that the brain is composed of embryonic tissue, so it is always open to development, learning and change. Scientists are convinced that our brain is capable of changing structure and function with simple thought, imagination, visualization gray matter, and this can happen even without special, external influences, but under the influence only of those thoughts with which it is filled. All of the above leads to the understanding that everyone who thinks about the quality of their thinking and habits requires a fundamental change in accumulated beliefs - overcoming and replacing the instinctive genetic program and previous upbringing with truly human ideas based on highly intellectual and highly sensory ideas of any aspect of life.

Change your old habits through the restructuring of neural connections.

Did you know that you can rewire your brain by creating new neural connections? Neuroplasticity is one of the abilities of our brain to rewire itself by forming new neural connections in response to external factors, changes in life, changes in environment etc..

Think of your brain as a dynamic, interconnected energy system. Billions of neural pathways are activated every time you think, feel or do something. Some of the paths are used more often than others - these are our habits. These habits are the basis of our way of thinking, it is what we feel and what we do. Every time we think a certain way, perform a task, or feel an emotion, we strengthen a certain neural pathway.
People can master absolutely any business or profession. You just have to keep doing the same action/process until the neural pathway becomes strong enough in the brain to form a habit. Think about it: for example, the more often you massage, the better you get. The more you communicate with a client on the phone or in person, the higher your communication skills, etc. In the same way, people can create strong neural connections in negatively: poor nutrition or sedentary image life.

The good news is that we all have the ability to change our habits by rewiring our brains. If you have ever changed bad habit or did something in a new way, you created a new neural pathway in your head, which means you know firsthand about neuroplasticity. Every time we think about something differently, make a different choice, learn something new, or experience a new emotion, our brain creates a new neural pathway. If we continue to follow a new path over and over again, our brain will begin to use more new way and less often the former.
Soon this fresh way of thinking, feeling, or doing becomes more commonplace. This becomes second nature as the old neural pathway weakens. This process of rewiring your brain, forming new connections and weakening old ones, is the process of neuroplasticity in action. With self-awareness and repeated repetition of an action or feeling aimed at a desired outcome, you can rewire your brain and become a better person. Just take action!

An example of how you can restructure your brain.

1. Determine which neural connections you want to weaken (for example, I want to reduce the percentage of palm work during a massage).
2. Identify new neural connections that you want to strengthen (for example, I want to use my elbows and forearms more during massage).
3. Place a reminder around your work area (for example, a sign on your desk that says “No Hands!”) so you can focus on it and keep track of your actions.
4. Over time, this will become a habit, and you will stop forgetting about your elbows and forearms during a massage.

Our brain has 100 billion neurons - that's more than the stars in our galaxy!Each cell, in turn, can produce 200 thousand branches. Thus, the brain has enormous resources to store memories for approximately 3 million years. Scientists call these “magical trees of the mind” because the nerve cells in the brain look like branching trees.

Thought electrical impulses between neurons transmitted through synapses - contact zones between neurons . Average neuron human brain has from 1000 to 10000 synapses or contacts with neighbors neurons. Synapses have a small gap, which must be overcome pulse.
When we learn, we change the way our brains work, creating new pathways for mental electrical impulses. At the same time electrical signal must "jump over" through synapse cleft for education new connections between nerve cells. This is the hardest road for him to travel. first time, but according to training, When signal overcomes synapse again and again, communications everyone is becoming "wider and stronger", the number is growing synapses And connections between neurons.
New ones are formed neural microgrids, in which "embedded" new knowledge: beliefs, habits, behavior patterns. And then we finally have something learned. This brain ability called neuroplasticity . Exactly the number microgrids V brain, not him volume or weight, have a decisive influence on what we call intelligence.

In passing, I would like to note that V early childhood During the most intensive period of learning, a rich and varied developmental environment is extremely important for the child.

Neuroplasty - this is one of the most amazing discoveries recent years.Previously it was believed that nerve cells do not regenerate. But in 1998 group of American scientists proved that neurogenesis occurs not only before the age of 13-14, but throughout our entire lives, and that adults can also develop new nerve cells. They found that the reason for the decrease in our mental abilities with age is not dying off nerve cells , and exhaustion dendrites - processes of nerve cells , through which they pass impulses from neuron To neuron. If dendrites constantly not stimulate, then they atrophy, losing conductivity as if muscles without physical activity . The same daily actions shape patterned behavior - our habits,- at the same time, the same ones are used and strengthened neural connections. This is how we embed our "autopilot", but at the same time suffers flexibility our thinking.

Our brain needs exercise. Needs to be changed every day routine And template actions to new, unusual ones that will involve multiple senses; fulfill ordinary actions in an unusual way, solve new ones projects trying to get away from "autopilot" familiar schemes . Habit weakens brain abilities. For productive work he needs new impressions, new tasks, new information, - in one word - change.

To 1998 it was believed that growth dendrites occurs only in early age, But research have proven that in adults neurons capable of growing dendrites to compensate for lost old ones. It has been proven that neural networks able to change throughout life person and ours brain stores huge resources neuroplasticity - capabilities change your structure.

It is known that our brain consists of embryonic tissue, that is, the one from which it consists embryo. That's why he's always open to development, training and for future.

Brain capable of simple thought, imagination, visualization, change structure And function gray matter. Scientists they are convinced that this can happen even without external influences. Brain can change under the authority of those thoughts with which it is filled, the mind able to influence brain . Our brain created by nature with the expectation of education and similar changes.

IN Bible said : “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

All of the above brings us to the understanding that to truly achieve goals it is required fundamentally changing the way your brain works- overcoming the genetic program and previous upbringing with all the long-term beliefs. You don't just have to cherish thoughts in his imagination, which are present no longer than New Year's “That’s it, I don’t drink anymore” A retrain mine brain, creating new ones neural structures.Neurologists They say: “Neurons that come together live together.” New neural structures your brain will create completely new networks,"block diagrams", adapted to solve new tasks.

“Your task is to bridge the gap between you and your desired goals.” (Earl Nightingale)

Metaphorically this process can be illustrated in the following example. Imagine that your brain with its limiting beliefs is a glass of muddy water. If you immediately threw out the dirty water, washed the glass and filled it with clean water, it would be a shock to the whole body. But, placing the glass along the stream clean water, you will gradually replace the cloudy one. In the same way, to teach the brain a new way of thinking, there is no need to suddenly “erase” the old one. It is necessary to gradually “fill” the subconscious with new positive beliefs, habits and qualities, which in turn will generate effective solutions, leading you to the desired results.

To maintain high performance of our brain, like body necessary" exercise”. Professor of Neurobiology Lawrence Katz (USA) developed a set of exercises for the brain - neurobics allowing us to have good "mental" form.

Neurobics exercises everyone is sure to use it five human feelings- moreover, unusual way and in different combinations. This helps create brain new neural connections. At the same time our brain begins to produce neurotropin, a substance that promotes the growth of new nerve cells and connections between them.

Your task is to change habitual and patterned actions to new, unusual ones every day.

The purpose of neurobics exercises — brain stimulation. Study neurobic simple - you need to make sure that in the process usual activitiesin a new way yours were involved sense organs.

For example:wake up in the morning, take a shower eyes closed, brush your teeth with the other hand, try to dress by touch, go to work on a new route, do your usual shopping in a new place and much more.. This is a fun and useful game.

Neurobics is useful for absolutely everyone. It will help children concentrate better and absorb new knowledge, and adults will help keep their brain in excellent shape and avoid memory deterioration.

The main principle of neurobics - constantly change simple template actions. Give your brain a task to solve familiar problems in an unusual way, and gradually it will thank you with excellent performance.

So, we are able to train our brains in new ways of thinking. As you begin to change your patterns and beliefs, you will see that by changing from within, you will begin to change everything around you, as if creating the effect of diverging waves.

Neurobics exercises

The brain must be kept in “working condition” and not allowed to “fall asleep”. And for everyone - both adults and schoolchildren, whose school life also quickly falls into a familiar rut with repeating rituals.

Charging is very easy to do - you can do it almost any time, anywhere. Let's consider exercises for mental aerobics.

1 — NEW ENVIRONMENT. From time to time it is very useful to find yourself in unfamiliar places. Therefore, visit a part of the city that you have never been to before or that you rarely visit - a large park or a store. It is also good to change your usual routes - for example, go to work on a different route.

2 — NEW SMELLS. In the morning, immediately after waking up, experts advise: inhale a variety of aromas, for example essential oils- this helps to “wake up” the brain.

3 — IMAGINAL BLINDNESS. An exercise for attention and concentration - try to find your way in a room with your eyes closed (as an option, take a shower). In the absence of vision, other senses are sharply activated.

4 — RIGHT-LEFT. Sometimes do something with your non-working hand: if you are right-handed, then with your left; if left-handed - right-handed.

5 — UNFAMILIAR WORK. More often take on work that you have not yet had to do - the brain is quickly activated when you do not know exactly what to do.

6 — ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. The same question can be answered in different ways. So answer, avoid the usual standard phrases - at least mentally. Neurobics is a very good exercise - distinguish objects by touch, with your fingers. For example, coins. For example, in a boring queue.

8 — MAGAZINES. Periodically buy newspapers that are not related to your interests - for example, about economics or fishing. It is not necessary to study the subject deeply; it is enough to change the topic of what you are reading from time to time.

9 — Mute TV. Turn off the sound on the TV and try to voice the image by following the lips of the characters on the screen. By the way, this is not only good for the brain, but also a lot of fun, especially in company.

10 — NEW TEMP. From time to time, change the pace of your usual action. If you usually do something slowly, speed up the work by 2 times. If, on the contrary, you are in a hurry, force yourself to do everything slowly.

Make the most of your brain

Mental development is as important as spiritual and physical development. Scientists have proven that a person uses only 3% to 10% of his brain capacity. How can we at least double this percentage?

First let's remember everyone known methods brain training and memory improvement :

1) Reading

2) Solving crossword puzzles, logical riddles, puzzles, puzzles

3) Playing sports

4) Learning foreign languages

5) Replenishment of vocabulary

6) Learning texts by heart

7) Journaling

In addition to these well-known methods, there is one more, which was proposed by neuroscientists Lawrence Katz and Manning Rubin. It's called neurobics.

What is neurobics

Neurobics is a set of exercises, so-called gymnastics for thinking, stimulating the brain’s ability to cognition. It aims to “break” habitual patterns of behavior and develop creative thinking.

Every day, the usual routine needs to be diluted with new impressions that involve at least one sense organ.

Scientists claim that through such exercises a substance called neurotropin is produced, which leads to the growth of nerve cells.

Neurobics exercises:

1) Change your habit and do everything in a new way

What you always do right hand, do it with your left (or vice versa) - brush your teeth, move the computer mouse, write, etc.

Change your usual vacation - if you usually spend your weekends at noisy parties, go to nature or do some housework. If you like to read a book at home, go to a concert or disco.

Diversify your wardrobe. Wear different clothes different colors. Scientists have proven that along with new clothes, the way of thinking and mood changes.

Change your usual route on the way to work, to the supermarket, to see friends.

Visit new places in the city, change your surroundings.

Buy new item furniture or simply rearrange the furniture in the room, change the monitor screensaver on your computer more often. When you see a product in a store that you haven’t paid attention to before, take a closer look at it and study the label on the packaging.

Feel free to take on a new business. Find new hobbies or add something new and different to your old activities. If you love extreme sports, take up knitting.

2) Change the pace of the actions you perform

What you usually do slowly, do it twice as fast, and what you do quickly, accordingly, do the opposite.

3) Change how you feel

Use other senses in a familiar situation. When watching TV, turn off the sound and watch what's happening on the screen. Try to guess what people are talking about, what words they are saying.

Walk around your apartment with your eyes closed.

Try to determine the denomination of coins by touch.

In this way you will force your sense of smell, touch, sight and hearing to function properly. unusual conditions, in which these types of feelings are heightened.

4) Think outside the box by connecting right hemisphere brain

Turn the photos you constantly see in front of you upside down. Habitual mental “models”, encountering a strange position of the image, will not work, and the right hemisphere will begin to work.

Write non-standard poems.

Draw unusual pictures.

Come up with new images.

Give new, non-standard answers to familiar questions.

Make up new words or deliberately put the wrong emphasis on a word.

Come up with your own anecdotes and jokes.

Game for the development of the right hemisphere:

Divide a sheet of paper into two columns, write any word in each of them. Under each of these two words, make a column of concepts with which you associate them. Then connect words from different columns in different orders and compose a story from them. Try different combinations and get creative!

Neurobics will not only develop your thinking abilities and allow your brain not to age for as long as possible, but will also bring variety to your life.