Planet Thrive

adaptability over a lifetime

The concept of brain plasticity offers hope to those with chemical sensitivity and other neurological impairments. Brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to rewire itself, with different neural networks taking over information processing functions from the damaged areas. These networks are originally formed during early childhood and oversee specific brain tasks such as learning, pattern recognition and problem-solving. Once formed, these neural networks were thought to be “hard-wired,” but research has shown that they are in fact flexible and responsive to change throughout one’s lifetime.

A well-publicized case of neuroplasticity involves Terry Wallis, a 19-year-old who awoke from a 19 year coma. According to an article in New Scientist, PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging) scans revealed that Wallis’s brain had “developed new pathways and completely novel anatomical structures to re-establish functional connections, compensating for the brain pathways lost in the accident.”

Scientists have found that those who have recovered from strokes and other brain injuries show a similar rewiring of the brain. Brain plasticity also occurs with learning—studies show that particular areas of the brain responsible for “fine” or “specific” movements in certain parts of the body (e.g. the hands of a string musician or hand drummer) have been rewired for optimal performance. However, physical contact is not a requirement for rewiring—thinking of something over and over can trigger a series of reactions which result in brain rewiring.

Annie Hopper, a core belief counselor living in British Columbia who was debilitated by severe chemical and electrical sensitivity in 2006, used brain plasticity to recover. She said “the change was so profound that after the second day I noticed a radical and almost unbelievable reduction in my symptoms.” She now leads Dynamic Neural Retraining System™ workshops to teach others with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, anxiety disorders, chronic pain syndromes, depression and a host of other mental, emotional and physical challenges how to manually rewire their brains around the damaged areas.

We at Planet Thrive have just discovered this approach to healing and feel it holds great implications for neurological illnesses. We will be offering more resources as quickly as we find them.

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