When Did We Discovered Neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to adapt and change in response to experience. It is a relatively new concept in neuroscience, and one that is still being actively researched. While the exact origins of neuroplasticity are still being debated, it is generally agreed that the concept began to gain traction in the late 19th century.
One of the earliest pioneers of neuroplasticity research was French psychologist Charles-Édouard Heuer. Heuer was interested in understanding how the brain could recover from injury, and he conducted a number of studies on animals in which he observed neurological changes following injuries. Heuer’s work laid the foundation for future research on neuroplasticity, but it was not until the mid-20th century that the concept really began to gain traction.
In the 1950s, Canadian neuropsychologist Donald Hebb proposed the famous “Hebbian principle,” which states that neurons that fire together wire together. This principle helped to explain how experience could shape brain development, and it paved the way for future research on neuroplasticity.
In the 1960s and 1970s, a number of researchers began to investigate the role of experience in brain development and plasticity. One of the most important pioneers in this field was American psychologist Roger Sperry. Sperry’s work on split-brain patients helped to demonstrate that different regions of the brain could be specialized for different functions.
Since the 1970s, research on neuroplasticity has continued to grow, and we now have a much better understanding of how experience can shape brain development. While there is still much to learn about neuroplasticity, this field of research has revolutionized our understanding of the brain and its potential.