EDHD488G: “Wired to Change: Brain Plasticity in Human Development and Experience”
Did you know that your brain physically changes as you learn, face challenges, or bounce back from stress? In this course, you'll discover how experience shapes the brain across life - from building skills to adapting under pressure. We'll dive into the science of brain plasticity to understand how everyday experiences, big and small, rewire who we are. No prior neuroscience coursework is required. BC TRACK COURSE- What Is Brain Plasticity? — What does it mean for the brain to be plastic, and why doesn’t the same experience change every brain in the same way?
- Developmental Plasticity and Sensitive Periods — When does experience matter most, and why are some changes harder later in life?
- Perceptual Learning — Can experience change how we perceive the world?
- Reorganization and Compensation after loss — What happens to the brain when expected input disappears?
- Learning, Training, and Expertise — Can extended practice and training reshape the adult brain?
- Constraints on Plasticity Across the Lifespan — Why isn’t the brain infinitely flexible?
- Memory as Plasticity — How does experience leave lasting traces in the brain?
- Language, Culture, and Thought — Does language shape how we think and perceive the world?
- Stress, Adversity, and Calibration — How does stress shape the brain for adaptation or vulnerability?
- Resilience and Recovery — Why do some brains adapt better than others after adversity?
- Maladaptive Plasticity — When does plasticity go wrong?
- Plasticity, Technology, and the Future Brain — How far can brain plasticity extend, and should all forms of change be encouraged?
