Neural development and early intervention

What does the term neuroplasticity refer to?

JW: What we used to believe is that most of the conditions that affected the brain caused permanent damage.

We believed some of it would be permanent and some of it would get better, but we didn't really know why.

But it turns out what happens is when the brain doesn't get enough of what it needs, or is damaged, it regrows.

But what doesn't regrow are the neurons - the brain cells that actually hold the information.

Throughout life we lose them, and that's absolutely fine because what neuroplasticity is, is the amazing ability of the brain to change, to regrow, to re-organise and to find alternative routes of reviving a function that either was never there, or was damaged.

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to rewire the connections between neurons to give us almost limitless potential to improve from whatever state we start in.

What effect does disadvantage or a lack of stimulation have on children's brains?

JW: Kids who have had socioeconomic limits because of the type of environment they've had, whether it's high stress or whether it's inadequate stimulation, their brains will definitely show differences when you first see them.

There will be less white matter, grey matter is the neurons, and the rest of the brain structure is white matter - the connections around the neurons.

And we'll see in children who have been deprived that there is a decrease in white matter.

And we'll see, with intervention, the white matter get more plentiful and their mental functions become better and better.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-17/neuroplasticity-and-early-intervention3a-q26a/3952432