The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (James H. Silberman Books) Hardcover – March 15, 2007

I was born with Cerebral Palsy in 1949. In those days, Neurology was not a medicine. I saw my first neurologist when I was 27 due to seizures. I then had my first ever EEG. At my follow up appointment, this doctor questioned my occupation as a violinist. He said it was impossible for me to play the violin because the right side of my brain did not function properly. I then told him he could come to a symphony rehearsal that following week, he did and was so shocked that he said that I had done the same thing as climbing Mt. Everest. The truth of the matter, instrumental music started in my school in the 4th grade. I really wanted to play and instrument. My grandfather had a violin and that was it. Little did I know that the orthopedist that I saw suggested that I begin something like music for physical therapy for my left arm and hand. I only knew that I could not walk without a brace until I was 16. I was very strong willed and I thought that everyone who was right handed - the left hand did not work. I was very determine and went to college as a Music Education Major with violin being my instrument. I always told people who ask what my walking problem was, that I had to make detours in my brain to my left leg and if I was tired, my brain didn't send the messages. I FELT LIKE THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN ABOUT ME. Today they call what I accomplished as Neuroplasticity. I have been teaching violin for over 42 years and have had many wonderful students along with my Symphony work.

The book that I’m going to review is The Brain that Changes Itself by Dr. Norman Doidge, M.D. Dr. Doidge is a Canadian psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who has also conducted research based on topics such as neuroplasticity and psychotherapy treatments. In Dr. Doidge’s book, you get a glimpse of the magic of neuroscience through the phenomenon of neuroplasticity through inspiring stories from real patients. You will be touched by neuroplasticity and its ability to gain some hope in people who are discouraged by their neurological conditions. Dr. Norman Doidge along with his colleagues will show experiments conducted with real patients to help them go through their conditions. He shows how adaptable the human brain really is and that the different parts of it don’t have their designated, fixed functions. The Brain That Changes Itself by Dr. Norman Doidge, M.D. is a book that shows the brain’s ability to change itself. We see that through stories about scientists and doctors who help patients transform their neurological conditions. The stories come from different patients with different types of brain disabilities. They either participated in experiments to test and improve their abilities or have gone through their transformations in other ways. For years the belief that the brain’s anatomy is fixed was considered true. If different parts of the brain were unable to function, they were now considered pointless and carried no function. If brain cells failed to develop effectively, there was no way they could be replaced. This lead to the theory that a person with a brain disability or that suffered brain damage would be damaged for life. However, Dr. Doidge has met scientists that have made discoveries regarding neuroplasticity. If certain parts of the brain failed, other parts can take over and perform that certain function. This book provides proof of real life stories that show that damaged parts of the brain can reorganize themselves and perform different functions that they’re not used to performing. When I read this book, I noticed that each chapter was a different story from a different patient based on their distinct brain disability. It would also talk about how their brain condition came about and their experience towards it. It would first provide the patient’s name and the condition they have, along with any obstacles they face in their everyday lives. For example, in the first chapter of The Brain That Changes Itself, it introduces a woman named Cheryl Schiltz. The book states, “Cheryl Schiltz feels like she’s perpetually falling. And because she feels like she’s falling, she falls.” As you can see the audience already gets a sense of her condition without reading any other further information. The chapter continues by talking about how Cheryl has difficulty standing up without support and then she immediately falls. But as soon as she falls, she still doesn’t feel like she has hit rock bottom yet. The chapter then goes in depth about the specific disability the patient has and what parts are being affected. For example, the book talks about how Cheryl’s vestibular apparatus isn’t working and how the signals don’t communicate with her nerves very well. The chapters in this book make sure to explain their condition in a neurological perspective to show the relationship between neurons and their condition. Then the chapter transfers to the experimental aspect where Dr. Doidge and his colleagues experiment to find something that may benefit the patient and accommodate them. For example, Dr. Doidge brings out a brain plasticity specialist named Paul Bach-y-Rita and biophysicist Yuri Danilov. To conduct an experiment on Cheryl. They make a construction hat with holes and a device inside it to measure her movement. The chapter then talks about her experience when using this device and how it helped her keep her balance. Then the chapter goes back to the past when Cheryl was first diagnosed with this condition at the hospital. She received news that the condition was permanent. The chapter then talks about how content she was after putting on the helmet. Dr. Doidge then received news that Cheryl used this helmet on her own at home and saw results. She saw that she was standing for hours and the results turned into months. The chapters usually end with the patient’s results in the long run. The science behind the experiments Dr. Doidge and his colleagues do for the patients is accurate because most of the time they do it in a lab setting, and work on machines that can help them through their disability. Dr. Doidge makes claims about how what they’re working on can help the patient’s disability and that is shown when Cheryl’s helmet was being made. He emphasized that this will improve her balance and keep her from falling. The explanations about how the person’s condition will improve is descriptive and talks about it through neuronal pathways. There are also explanations as to why their experiment is being done and what materials they will be using. They describe every aspect of the experiment so the reader can know how it links to their condition. Cheryl’s story is one of many inspiring stories found in this book. By combining many different stories about patients with varying neural disabilities, it can show the reader the magic of brain plasticity and how life changing it can be to people. It may lead them to see how these experiments can lead up to life changing accommodations. Like previously said, the book is full of chapters that consist in real patient stories and how they overcome it with these experiments. We can see that specific parts of the brain may shut down, but other parts can step in and do the job. With Cheryl’s story, the reader feels as if they are going through this journey alongside the patient, doctors, and scientists. Each chapter talks about a variety of things, but it will intrigue the reader so they know what’s going on, especially on a neuronal level. This book is excellent for people who are into neuroscience and how brain plasticity may change the lives of individuals.

Very thorough, fascinating insights about how the brain functions and how it adapts normally and under adverse conditions. I loved every part of this book, especially learning what happens when the brain is addicted, for instance to video games and how the brain makes the video game an extension of itself. Also the way the brain remaps itself when an arm or let is removed. The is nothing that this book does not cover, from the results of porn on the brain, and what happens when a person is in love. The book is very well organized and has many fascinating stories about how the brain heals itself and remaps itself time and time again. The book also offers reasons why the brain is able to adapt and evolve!

We have all heard the phrases: “mind over matter” and “I think therefore I am.” Many of us are also aware of the debate surrounding the mind-body connection or disconnection. The separation of mind/body is evident in our medical system where you see certain specialists for “medical” issues and others for “mental health” issues. One of the lovely things about this book is the theme of blending together the mind and body.Dr. Norman Doidge shares many different stories through this book showing how the mind and body work together, how we learn, how we unlearn, and how to recover from brain damage. The one word that covers the content of this book is neuroplasticity which is defined as the brains ability to adapt and change its function depending on situation and “rewire” itself should it become damaged.There are stories of individuals ridding themselves of phantom limbs, recovering from strokes to a degree that was thought impossible, living with half of a brain, curing incurable vertigo, recovering from deep depression, successfully treating learning disabilities, and more. Each story is about a real person – their struggles and triumph, and the practitioners who helped them. There are also cautionary tales about habits and chronic pain conditions.I would warn the reader that there is discussion of invasive experimentation on animals, and the fact that the material is quite dense at times. All in all, this is a book that can be read cover to cover or story by story while being picked up and set down several times – this is how I read it. The material is interesting enough, and important enough to take one’s time with.I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding how the brain works.

Stunning book. The author is thoughtful and wide ranging in his information. He brings research both old and current into his text, and makes sense of the history of how inadequate earlier ideas about brain capabilities were, and how much the knowledge has now expanded massively. It gives hope to anyone who either has brain damage or knows someone who has. The lesson I took from this, was never give up, it turns out the brain is pretty much like the rest of the body, in that when damaged, it DOES have the power to heal itself and recover. You may be left with a scar, just as on your skin, but a huge amount of function can be restored with the right approach. I graduated with a BSc in Psychology (at an age most people are retiring) last year, and so wish I had read this book early in the 3 year course. In fact I've read it after finishing, and my work would have been much improved had I read this earlier. Very highly recommended.

Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous. There's a bit in it where he explains experiments with people who have phantom limbs that used a mirror to affect the feeling they had in the phantom limb. I used the same technique just with my imagination and fixed an elbow and shoulder injury that I had suffered from for a decade. Now I have equal strength for the first time in years.

Am only part way through the book, but, what I have read so far is amazing. Recommended reading for those who may feel they cannot do anything else with their thinking and even movement. The brain certainly can be changed, creating new ways of communicating.Dogged determination can be a real asset. Read it and find out.

This book really gives optimistic feeling; the brain really do not only degrade slowly after Your twenties... You really can stay sharp up to Your old ages :-) Just believe that the brain is a plastic system and always keep something new work for it! I’ve just learned - at the age of 61 - learned how to weld, and my stilll living dad - at the age of 85 - just got a driving licence for the truck :-) (he actually bought accidentally too heavy recreational vehicle)

Brains are amazing and I was really looking forward to this read but gave up due to vast amount of animal testing described which I can't stand reading or hearing about, made me feel sick.