Newburyport Public Library

My plastic brain, one woman's yearlong journey to discover if science can improve her mind, by Caroline Williams

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

My plastic brain

bibliography

990984177

by Caroline Williams

one woman's yearlong journey to discover if science can improve her mind

"Using herself as a guinea pig, a science journalist explores "neuroplasticity" to find out whether she can make meaningful, lasting changes to the way her brain works. In books like THE HAPPINESS PROJECT, THE NO-SPEND YEAR, and THE YEAR OF YES, individuals have tried a specific experience and then reported on it, sharing the takeaway for the rest of us. In MY PLASTIC BRAIN, Caroline Williams spends a year exploring "neuroplasticity"--The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections--to find out whether she can make meaningful, lasting changes to the way her brain works. A science journalist with access to cutting edge experts and facilities, she volunteers herself as a test subject, challenging researchers to make real changes to the function and performance of her brain. She seeks to improve on everyday weaknesses such as her limited attention span and tendency to worry too much. She then branches out into more mysterious areas such as creativity and the perception of time. From Boston, Massachusetts to Oxford University, Freiburg, Germany to Atlanta, Georgia, Williams travels to labs or virtually meets with scientists and tries their techniques of mindfulness, meditation, magnetic brain stimulation, sustained focus exercises, stress response retraining, and more. She shares her intimate journey with readers to discover what neuroscience can really do for us"--, Provided by publisher

Part one: Meetings with my executive controller -- The taming of the butterfly -- Anxious all areas -- Let the creativity flow -- Part two: Space and time -- Lost in space -- Mind-bending, time-bending -- Part three: A logical mind -- Number sense lost -- Part four: What now? -- My brain on override -- The road from here