{"id":835,"date":"2021-09-18T13:59:17","date_gmt":"2021-09-18T13:59:17","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-11-24T18:10:13","modified_gmt":"2023-11-24T10:10:13","slug":"top-neuroplasticity-exercises-to-challenge-your-brain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/top-neuroplasticity-exercises-to-challenge-your-brain\/","title":{"rendered":"Neuroplasticity Exercises: Why Do Children Improve Way Faster at Chess Than Adults?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this article, we\u2019re going to discuss the importance of neuroplasticity and neuroplasticity exercises. Neuroplasticity<\/a> is your brain\u2019s ability to change and adapt to reconfigure information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve probably noticed that children and young teens tend to acquire new abilities faster than adults. For example, children improve faster at chess than adults, and it is easier to teach a child multiple languages than it is to teach an adult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to neurology, neuroplasticity is possibly the most important factor when it comes to learning anything new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides the obvious reasons like not having a busy schedule or as many responsibilities as adults, neurology and psychology play a big part in why children learn faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psychology plays a role as children are generally more curious, energetic, and proactive than adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The critical period hypothesis<\/a> states that language skills develop most when you\u2019re between the age of 5 and the age of puberty. A new study from MIT<\/a> suggests that you remain adept at learning languages up to the age of 17 or 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why many parents teach their children a new language while they\u2019re still young. For example, many kids are put in French immersion classes in elementary school, and by the time they reach high school, they\u2019re fluent in French. This learning ability does not apply only to languages, but also to games, sports, and various skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is Neuroplasticity and How Does it Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Neuroplasticity<\/a> is your brain\u2019s plasticity or its adaptation ability to reconfigure new and existing information. It is sometimes referred to as neural plasticity or brain plasticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neuro refers to the neurons in your brain, which are nerve cells that act as building blocks for the brain and nervous system. Plasticity refers to your brain\u2019s malleability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neuroplasticity refers to the physiological changes in your brain that occur due to your interactions with the environment and the gathering of new information. Your brain constantly reorganises the connections among your brain cells to match your needs, and we can learn from experience thanks to this dynamic process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to learning new things, neuroplasticity also enhances your existing cognitive abilities, promotes recovery from brain injuries, strengthens weak or declining functions, and improves brain health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the starkest comparisons in neuroplasticity is between a child and an adult learning how to play chess. It is much more common to witness large jumps of chess knowledge in children than it is in adults. Chess is therefore one of the best neuroplasticity exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both adults and children can become good at chess, but children can learn it faster and improve faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The World Chess Federation awards \u2018grandmaster\u2019 titles to chess players who reach a certain number of points in their career, and in 2021, Abhimanyu Mishra<\/a> became the youngest chess grandmaster ever at age 12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Neuroplasticity Changes as You Age<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is rapid brain growth in the early years of life because the neurons in your cerebral cortex go from having 2,500 neurons each at birth to 15,000 each by age of three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you go into adulthood, the number of synapses greatly decreases because of synaptic pruning. Synaptic pruning refers to the strengthening of some connections and the pruning of weak ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is another reason why children improve faster at chess than adults: they can learn and unlearn patterns easily. On the other hand, if adults use their chess patterns for a long time, it strengthens the relevant connections which makes it harder to break the bad habit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As young brains are usually more sensitive and responsive to experiences, children and young teens tend to pick up new things faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Neuroplasticity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Neuroplasticity is an umbrella term for your brain\u2019s ability to alter, amend, and adapt its structure and function in response to experiences throughout your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two main types of neuroplasticity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Structural plasticity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This refers to your brain\u2019s ability to change its physical structure from learning. Such development can lead to permanent changes in synapses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Functional plasticity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This refers to your brain\u2019s ability to move functions from damaged areas of your brain to undamaged areas. These shifts will change the strength of connections between your synapses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both of these have potential, but more attention is on the former. People already know that some of your brain functions can be redirected, revised, and reinstated with functional plasticity, but it is exciting to learn that you can change the actual structure of your brain with structural plasticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why neuroplasticity exercises to improve neuroplasticity are so popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chess as a Neuroplasticity Exercise to Improve Neuroplasticity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chess is a complex intellectual game that improves neuroplasticity as players have to use strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, as well as memory and cognitive abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These skills are further stimulated and strengthened as players continue practising. Chess is one of the best neuroplasticity exercises out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other benefits of playing chess include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n