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    The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
    Unavailable
    The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
    Unavailable
    The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
    Ebook597 pages8 hours

    The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

    By Norman Doidge, M.D.

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    “Fascinating. Doidge’s book is a remarkable and hopeful portrait of the endless adaptability of the human brain.”—Oliver Sacks, MD, author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

    What is neuroplasticity? Is it possible to change your brain? Norman Doidge’s inspiring guide to the new brain science explains all of this and more

    An astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable, and proving that it is, in fact, possible to change your brain. Psychoanalyst, Norman Doidge, M.D., traveled the country to meet both the brilliant scientists championing neuroplasticity, its healing powers, and the people whose lives they’ve transformed—people whose mental limitations, brain damage or brain trauma were seen as unalterable. We see a woman born with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole, blind people who learn to see, learning disorders cured, IQs raised, aging brains rejuvenated, stroke patients learning to speak, children with cerebral palsy learning to move with more grace, depression and anxiety disorders successfully treated, and lifelong character traits changed. Using these marvelous stories to probe mysteries of the body, emotion, love, sex, culture, and education, Dr. Doidge has written an immensely moving, inspiring book that will permanently alter the way we look at our brains, human nature, and human potential.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Group
    Release dateMar 15, 2007
    ISBN9781101147115
    Unavailable
    The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

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    Reviews for The Brain That Changes Itself

    4/5

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    • 2/5
      Content note: discusses some examples you may interpret as animal cruelty.I have pretty mixed feelings about this book. My main response, I guess, is "read with caution". There are some parts which are reasonable, well-founded, and which don't seem to be driven by any bias. Talking about the ways to help people recover from strokes would fall under this category; I was actually a bit surprised that all of the information about brain maps, and the brain's "use it or lose it" approach to neuronal real estate, was actually considered surprising or controversial. I thought that aspect of neurobiology was fairly clear to people in this day and age. Certainly, the idea that you can expand areas of your brain by using them, and lose abilities by not practicing them, seemed to me obvious. The book was written in 2007, so I expected an understanding brain plasticity to be the norm, not the underdog.It's when Doidge got onto other topics that I started to feel uncomfortable. Googling around a bit showed that Fast ForWord isn't universally acclaimed, as I'm sure it would be if the results were as unequivocal as Doidge presents them. Just hitting Wikipedia shows some doubt about the experiments -- the ones with clear positive results were conducted by biased people and weren't subjected to double-blind methods.Then I got to the chapter on "sexual perversions". Sexual perversion, to Doidge, basically seems to be anything he doesn't personally like. People with kinks or fetishes are not just different, but sick, in his analysis. And it's usually their parents' fault -- or porn. It's not just individual difference, but something which must be corrected. Homogeneity for all.(I really wonder what he'd think about my total disinterest in a) sex and b) other people's taboos about sex. If you're not doing anything to anyone that they don't want and haven't asked for, go ahead. Enthusiastic consent obtained? None of my business anymore, if it ever was. Sure, a lot of it makes no sense to me and has no appeal, but nor does skateboarding or bungee jumping.)He just seems to have a problem with difference in general. If your brain isn't wired the way other people's brains are wired, you've got to fix it.This did make his chapter on OCD and related problems interesting to me (see also my mental health awareness post on Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Me). I don't have any particular arguments with his way of describing OCD and the treatment thereof: I recognise those obsessive behaviours, the things that were unhelpful in trying to reverse them, and the things that actually did help. He criticises CBT in a way that entirely makes sense to me, pointing out that by focusing on the intrusive thought, you can get it more firmly entrenched in your mind. This was a very short chapter, though.Then there's a lot of stuff about experiments on animals, which is where I gave up on this guy. I'm not automatically against animal experimentation, when limited, tightly controlled, and cleared or at least discussed with an ethics board. I find it hard, though, to see the value in cutting all the sensory nerves in both a monkey's arms and then sticking a probe into its brain to measure responses there. I find it especially hard to cope with a narrative where this is so matter of fact that there is no mention of ethical concerns at all -- except to complain that they got in the way of science. PETA are often crackpots, I think they might have had a point here, though.So if you do read this, read it with caution, attention to the notes, reference to outside sources and studies. Be prepared for very dispassionate recountings of some pretty awful experiments. (Sure, let's sew a kitten's eye shut for the first weeks of its life, to prove that it can then never process sight with that eye again. It's not like we could do that experiment just by looking historically at children with cataracts. Oh, wait.) Be prepared for the fact that this guy is in no way neutral.The sad thing is, I find the idea of brain plasticity utterly fascinating; some of this book is great. Some of it just... isn't, and I'm sure there must be a better book out there with a bit less of the author's personal feelings directing the text.
    • 4/5
      This is a fascinating explanation of how the brain can change: how areas once devoted to a specific function or area of expertise can change their role if required; how people can use specific mental and physical exercises to promote healing after a stroke or brain injury; how we can keep our brains sharp. It is written in an engaging style, including several stories of real people that are inspiring. The scientific aspects are well explained for a lay reader.
    • 4/5
      This was actually my third attempt at this book. Not that it is not a good book. It is actually a fantastic book. Engaging, not hard to read, etc. It just seems to be one of those books you really need to be in the right mood for. January seemed to finally be it as I ran through half the book on the first day. This book discusses breakthroughs in neuroplasticity, or the science of how our brain changes with input from the environment. Cognitive theorists viewed the adult brain as a 'machine' capable of very little actual change. Science shows our brains are constantly changing with new input for good (leaning to use skills again after a stroke, teaching the blind to 'see' with electronic input) or bad (repeating OCD compulsions deepens them further, watching hard pornography on a regular basis can make it harder to be aroused in a 'regular' sexual situation). It discusses many of the breakthroughs that help people lead normal lives and the research that discusses how neuroplasticity occurs. A great accessible read for the layperson, and a must read for anybody in psychology or medicine.
    • 3/5
      Very readable examination of the ways in which medical opinion has changed on the former belief that the adult brain is incapable of developing new neurons and that specific regions of the brain's cortex are irrevocably assigned to specific functions.
    • 5/5
      Delightful book! It is a sort of compendium of interviews and stories of other neuroscientists' work, However, Doidge weaves all of the stories together with his own insights and experiences with his own patients in a thoughtful and thought-provoking way. The book is FUN to read and easy-to-understand. I particularly enjoyed the chapter "Turning our Ghosts into Ancestors," because it explains the neuroscience behind how the unfortunately-often-maligned Psychoanalysis works.Even the "Notes and References" section of the book itself is an enjoyable read - not just citations, but added information and insights.A real treat! I read the book after reading Sharon Begley's "Train Your Mind, Change your Brain". Because they are both about plasticity, they complimented each other nicely.Consider one additional piece of information from the book: When people of an "Eastern" culture live in a "Western" culture (or vice-versa), they begin to re-structure their brains in a way that adapts to the new culture to a great extent. I, personally, have such experience, having lived in Japan for two years. I wonder if more of us had such experiences, we might learn to empathize with each other more and therefore make the world a more compassionate place.At the very least, we might be able to synthesize new and more creative ways of looking at things as we meld the supposedly more "focused Western brain" with the more "holistic Eastern brain".
    • 5/5
      Doidge collects anecdotes from patients and researchers that bring to light the wonderful world of neuroscience and attepts to explain the concepts and principles of Neuroplasticity. It is easy to read and has great metaphors to help relate the research to the layperson.
    • 5/5
      Fascinating!!!!! Written by a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, this is an intriguing, engrossing look at the history of the discovery (make that discoveries) of the amazing plasticity of the human brain, including several case studies highlighting the brain's flexibility. The case of the girl born with half a brain is especially mind blowing, so to speak.
    • 4/5
      The first couple chapters of this book were really, really interesting to me. But by the end, I felt like it was getting a bit repetitive and I could kind of figure out the stories before he finished telling them because they all follow the same basic theme - these people showed that their brains grew by having some disability and then overcoming that disability. (Obviously that oversimplifies it quite a bit.)

      In the end, very interesting book if you're interested in the brain/body, but you definitely do not need to be in the field to understand it.
    • 3/5
      Interesting, but the kind of book that will turn people who do not have a natural tendency to be skeptics into TRUE BELIEVERS. Not my kind of thing (but I knew that from the "personal triumph" subtitle).
    • 4/5
      Very readable account of the science of brain plasticity and its applications in therapies for people who have suffered strokes, brain traumas, addictions and old age. The appendix on "The culturally Modified Brain" is merely one high point in a brief book full of fascinating facts, insights and reflections.
    • 5/5
      An Amazing book. The case histories are astonishing. The brain is so powerful. The thing that struck me was there are many new cutting edge learning techniques being used very successfully but they are NOT being used in our educational institutions - why not? An eye-opening and brain expanding book - use some of your plasticity and read it.
    • 5/5
      "The Brain That Changes Itself" is about the scientists doing research on brain plasticity and some of the people who have experienced, or are experiencing changes in brain plasticity. The author has a psychiatric background; in fact he says psychoanalysis is a form of neuroplastic therapy.There are various case studies in this book, ranging from the man who was able to beat his internet porn addiction and go back to healthy relationships; the woman who was born with half a brain (and managed to mostly compensate for it); the woman who was labeled learning disabled but overcame it to teach other learning disabled children; and how most people are not too old to learn new things. In fact, it is strongly recommended in this book that people keep learning throughout life: such as learning a new language in your 50s, or learning a new skill such as dance routines. However, the book doesn't promise that every single person's brain challenges can be solved; sometimes there are hurdles such as "chemical" brain issues. It does provide encouraging news that many people can adapt to challenges given to their brains, ranging from those who suffer strokes to those who receive cochlear implants. It is not a self-help book but there are resources provided in the book for readers who might want to learn more about a particular topic that was discussed in the book.I thought this was a very readable book and a layperson unfamiliar with science and/or psychology would be able to understand it.
    • 5/5
      A very enlightening read. Amazing accounts of the brain's ability to adapt and repair etc.
    • 5/5
      one of the best books on the topic of brain science. Extremely accessible for both the layperson and scientist alike. I really enjoyed this book.
    • 4/5
      Best type of popular science. This book is an easy read and most inspiring - it introduces the layperson to neuroplasticity, showing how our brains are flexible and can rewire themselves in response to damage. It also shows how we can use practice, habit and our imaginations to rewire our own brains - for better or worse. You will not think in the same way after you have read this. Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      For a long time, the brain was considered to be hard-wired. When damage was done to the brain, it was thought to be irreversible and something the sufferer must simply learn to live with. 'Not so,' says researcher Norman Doidge, a psychiatrist and researcher in neuroplasticity. He presents evidence of the brain's ability to re-wire itself following traumatic injury to allow other parts of the brain to completely or partially take over the activities previously associated with the injured area. He does this thru the compelling use of case histories and demonstrates the variable amounts of success patients have achieved. A thorougly engaging read that opens up a myriad of possibilities for brain research and personal improvement.
    • 5/5
      Doidge presents compelling evidence that the adult brain is not a machine. We can "rewire" our brain - in effect changing its structure and functions to deal with trauma or damage.The ideas are entertainingly presented using case studies. A readable, inspiring book.
    • 3/5
      A fascinating, albeit some what repetitive look at how the human mind works and changes.
    • 2/5
      Although, like a previous reviewer I too was a little disturbed by the "sewing the kitten's eyes shut" statement I did find this book fascinating and highly readable. The sections on autism and OCD were especially enlightening.
    • 4/5
      Interesting subject, fairly tightly written, but sometimes it strayed.
    • 5/5
      A work that is great because the science it presents is interesting and the way it presents the science is interesting itself and accurate. The science is that of neuroplasticity...how the brain changes (itself).For what it is, it's nearly perfect, but for a broader understanding, would need to have a social analysis and a body-mind analysis.
    • 2/5
      This was far too Freudian for me (ALL masochists had childhood hospitalizations & learned there to fetishize pain) as well as entirely too full of anecdotes. I like my science more, well, sciencey. There were some interesting anecdotes, to be sure, but ultimately it was not what I was looking for.

      ETA: Um, yeah, I just NOW noticed the part of the title that references "stories of personal triumph" so it's my own damn fault. I hate "stories of personal triumph" as a rule.
    • 4/5
      This is a fascinating book by a psychologist who looks at stories of people with different disabilities whose brains basically rewired themselves around their condition. The book looks at the implications of brain plasticity. Interesting stories. Interesting discoveries.
    • 3/5
      I found this a particularly annoying book. The content of the discussion was interesting and informative, but the style of delivery was poor. This is science-lite. It is science presented like a low budget TV documentary - lots of interesting info presented without the hard data and analysis.One of the annoying characteristics is to present slabs of the information in interview format - in the words of the person involved. Now this might be appropriate in the case of Michelle Mack, born with half a brain, but not in the case of Michael Merzenich, one of the scientists who has developed brain training routines resulting from his research. Merzenich is quoted at length, and individual examples of positive results from his (commercialised) programs are given (such as Fast Foreword). Why anecdotal evidence like this? What about the broader test results? What about comparisons with control groups? A quick internet search came up with many anecdotal reports of disappointment with Fast Foreword. An competent book on this topic would have resolved these conflicting reports.So, interesting topic, lots of good information, but presented in a dumbed down manner. What a shame.Read Nov 2015
    • 5/5
      This is an excellent book for the layperson. It combines an anecdotal discussion, based on the author's medical practice, together with a review of historical and current research. Some of it is speculative, but the speculation always has a basis in the research. Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      A discussion of newly-emerging knowledge about the plasticity of the brain. This is written for the non-technical reader, in the form of a series of case studies. It is a fascinating book, and a very hopeful one.
    • 5/5
      A fascinating look at how the brain works, presented in layman's terms. My only negative would be that it's written from a humanistic, evolutionary worldview, but that should not prevent anyone from learning more about the incredible ways the human brain functions.
    • 5/5
      I suggested this book for my non-fiction group and it was a great discussion-generator. It's about the "plasticity" of the brain, which allows it to reroute functions when a portion of the brain becomes disabled. The Brain the Changes Itself was a challenging but fascinating read. Although the author had ample chance to get caught up in the jargon of his field, he never did. The author's best "trick" to keep non-scientists reading was having a person with a problem featuring prominently in each of the eleven chapters to illustrate the ideas he's covering. And for those who can't get enough of the scientific part, he has great back-notes that give either sources or further information. The weakest parts were appendices I and II, which were simply underdeveloped chapters. I would have preferred the author either develop the chapters fully or leave them out. 04/10/2010
    • 2/5
      This book covers past and present work in neural plasticity and is written for a non-specialist to understand easily. It gives some interesting case studies, which appeals to the mainstream audience. However, I found his Freudian expositions a bit irksome. I felt throughout the book that the author had a distinct agenda: to explain how modern advances in neuroscience 1) were already proposed by Freud or 2) are evidence that Freud's theories coincide well with physiological truth.
    • 4/5
      Extremely interesting, rewiring damaged areas of the brain, moving mechanisms from one area to another.