The Nuts and Bolts of Better Brains: Harnessing the Power of Neuroplasticity

What if your brain at 77 were as plastic as it was at 7? What if you could learn Mandarin with the ease of a toddler or play Rachmaninoff without breaking a sweat? A growing understanding of neuroplasticity suggests these fantasies could one day become reality. Neuroplasticity may also be the key to solving diseases like Alzheimer’s, depression, and autism. In this program, leading neuroscientists discuss their most recent findings and both the tantalizing possibilities and pitfalls for our future cognitive selves. PARTICIPANTS: Alvaro Pascual-Leone, Nim Tottenham, Carla Shatz MODERATOR: Guy McKhann