It's good, like other such things, I believe that if you use it, commit to it etc., it can be very useful. I also suggest Sarah Shikitao-Brown's book, Tao Cycle Therapy: Natural Happiness via Self Directed Cure for Chronic Anxiety & Depression [Updated 2008 3nd Edition]

I was pleased. Worth reading more than once. I also suggest Sarah Shikitao-Brown's book, Tao Cycle Therapy: Natural Happiness via Self Directed Cure for Chronic Anxiety & Depression [Updated 2008 3nd Edition]

Begley, the well-known science writer from Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal, is a genius at translation. She has the ability to go from scientific research to the application of that research to life. Typically, scientists stick to their science, and practitioners stick to their professional practice. Begley has a near-unique ability to make the successful translation between the two disciplines.

She's also an interesting--even fun read. This book, among the first to show the practical relevance of the mass of neuroscience research churning out of our best institutions, challenges much conventional wisdom regarding our minds and our intelligence. I'm well aware that overturning conventional wisdom doesn't change the orthodoxy, yet I'm also curious about the degree to which these well-researched ideas are beginning to spread.

Begley emphasizes that the brain is a dynamic organization--and that stasis is illusory. Significantly, the research shows that enrichment is key for humans--our brains are shaped by our experiences. Couch potatoes are in for long-term trouble.

I'd summarize this fine work by debunking three widely held beliefs: it's all downhill after age thirty, you lose 100,000 nerve cells a day, and you can't teach an old dog new tricks. That's very encouraging, nay exhilerating research for this member of the silent generation. ([.......])

Train Your Mind Change Your Brain is a very insightful book and has special meaning for me because I started my career as a nurse working in medical neurology. For me, probably more than for most readers, some of the old mantras about damage to the nervous system are familiar, since I worked with stroke and accident victims, among others, who were told they would only recover the function that arose after the edema from the incident subsided. In the old days, rehab was initiated more to facilitate the patient's adjustment to his or her limitations than to increase function. I've seen amazing things over the course of my career that indicated that "it ain't necessarily so;" the nervous system can and does regenerate tissue, redirect impulses, and improve with work.

The author presents her case by describing a series of meetings between neuroscientists and the Dalai Lama. It is refreshing to see that these sessions were a two way dialogue rather than a patronizing monologue by scientist to metaphysicist. Certainly the experience of those who have made a career of mind-over-matter meditation has much to say to scientists wishing to understand the abilities of the mind and its effect on anatomy and physiology.

Since I was working in neurology during the period of dogmatic attitudes about the brain and nervous system that the author describes, I recognize many of the road blocks that stood in the way of progress for so long. It's amazing that workers in the field persisted long enough to actually sway their more staid peers in the end. It must have seemed like an uphill battle to many of them. The resistance to the concept of plasticity in the nervous system that the author describes was incredibly fierce. It certainly shows that science, like every other human endeavor, is subject to ulterior motives, closed minds and other resistance to change. One is reminded of the major paradigm shift that occurred in geology after the introduction of ocean basin data that overwhelmingly supported plate tectonics and continental drift theory in the 1950's and 60's and of the battles between the steady state and big bang theories in cosmology during the 1970`s.

More than anything, though, the neurological concepts in this book and the theories mentioned above prove the effectiveness of the scientific method. The method is more important than any single individual, the data is more significant than the status and reputation of any given researcher in the field. The Method is everything.

For many of those interested in the brain, questions linger about the relation between the brain and the mind. While science typically avoids dealing with the philosophical and religious implications of this dichotomy, this book explores head-on the relationship that has been growing between the new discoveries in neuroplasticity and the ancient traditions of Buddhist meditation practices. I hope to provide a brief overview of Train Your Mind Change your Brain and describe what a fantastic job Begley does of presenting the recent dialogue between neuroscience and Buddhism.

Overall Opinion of the Book:
This is an absolutely terrific read. Clearly written, well-structured, and engaging, this book does a great job of presenting in laymen's terms both the seminal research and the recent studies which validate the now accepted concept of neuroplasticity, and how Buddhism is playing a role in our understanding of this phenomenon. I personally found the book to be intriguing, informative but light, and a pleasurable read.

Recommendation:
With plenty of background and simple explanations, the author does a great job presenting this complex material for all to understand. I highly recommend this book to anyone (high schoolers and above) interested in learning about neuroscience, plasticity, or just explore an area where a great religious tradition and modern science are finding common ground.

Synopsis:
This book really comes as the result of one man's striking curiosity for science, the Dalai Lama of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1990, as part of the Dalai Lama's personal quest for understanding science and seeking Buddhism's footing in the modern world, the Mind and Life Institute began as an annual conference hosted in Dharamsala, arranged as a week of lectures and discussion between Western scientists and the Dalai Lama. The dialogue of the 2004 conference - the focus of this book - centered on the advancements in understanding neuroplasticity and the results of the then recent experiments studying its relationship with intense meditation and mental training. It is from these proceedings that the book gets its major content and structure - discussing the topics and appropriate background of the ideas presented to the Dalai Lama.

While Begley structures the book around the presentations that occurred during the Mind and Life Institute of 2004, she frequently interjects the stories and experiments that carved out the heated debate over plasticity that spanned many decades in neuroscience. The book effectively intertwines the personal stories of the scientists and the research performed by the leading figures on both sides of the historic debate. From describing Merzenich's famous experiment's to the Silver Springs controversy, the author weaves the hard science and research with enriching personal anecdotes and experiences of those behind the discoveries.

First the book explores the discovery of neuroplasticity followed by a treatment on explaining the recent evidence supporting neurogenesis. Next follows discussions on plasticity in developing brains in children, then how sensory experience can induce changes in adult brains, and eventually reaches the debate of whether the mind can influence the structure and function of the brain through plasticity. All the while, Begley adds in commentary from the discussion between the Dalai Lama and the scientists and makes ties to the Buddhist philosophies that relate to the neuroscience being discussed. Finally, the book concludes with a discussion of the experiments carried out on monks and the changes that occur with years of mental training and meditation and how the relationship between Buddhism and science has illuminated new areas of research for neuroplasticity.

Complaints:
While I overall enjoyed the book thoroughly and thought it did a terrific job educating the reader on the advancements and the debate on plasticity, I wished there would have been a slight bit more background on the Buddhist principles and meditation practices mentioned throughout. Begley does a terrific job summarizing the science behind plasticity, but I think lacks in fully explaining the Buddhist concepts that provoked the study of the monk's minds near the end of the book.

Favorite Parts:
I most thoroughly enjoyed how Begley kept the book from being solely focused on the academic side of plasticity. Frequently throughout the book she describes the efforts that research on plasticity has enabled in aiding the treatment of diseases such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and dyslexia, but even more so, how the science of plasticity and the practices of mental training can help improve the general daily lives of anyone, not just those suffering from a disability or injury. Additionally, I appreciated reading of the respectful dialogue that is bridging the gap between modern science and religious traditions - as both disciplines have a tremendous amount to learn from each other as this book shows.

For many of those interested in the brain, questions linger about the relation between the brain and the mind. While science typically avoids dealing with the philosophical and religious implications of this dichotomy, this book explores head-on the relationship that has been growing between the new discoveries in neuroplasticity and the ancient traditions of Buddhist meditation practices. I hope to provide a brief overview of Train Your Mind Change your Brain and describe what a fantastic job Begley does of presenting the recent dialogue between neuroscience and Buddhism.

Overall Opinion of the Book:
This is an absolutely terrific read. Clearly written, well-structured, and engaging, this book does a great job of presenting in laymen's terms both the seminal research and the recent studies which validate the now accepted concept of neuroplasticity, and how Buddhism is playing a role in our understanding of this phenomenon. I personally found the book to be intriguing, informative but light, and a pleasurable read.

Recommendation:
With plenty of background and simple explanations, the author does a great job presenting this complex material for all to understand. I highly recommend this book to anyone (high schoolers and above) interested in learning about neuroscience, plasticity, or just explore an area where a great religious tradition and modern science are finding common ground.

Synopsis:
This book really comes as the result of one man's striking curiosity for science, the Dalai Lama of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1990, as part of the Dalai Lama's personal quest for understanding science and seeking Buddhism's footing in the modern world, the Mind and Life Institute began as an annual conference hosted in Dharamsala, arranged as a week of lectures and discussion between Western scientists and the Dalai Lama. The dialogue of the 2004 conference - the focus of this book - centered on the advancements in understanding neuroplasticity and the results of the then recent experiments studying its relationship with intense meditation and mental training. It is from these proceedings that the book gets its major content and structure - discussing the topics and appropriate background of the ideas presented to the Dalai Lama.

While Begley structures the book around the presentations that occurred during the Mind and Life Institute of 2004, she frequently interjects the stories and experiments that carved out the heated debate over plasticity that spanned many decades in neuroscience. The book effectively intertwines the personal stories of the scientists and the research performed by the leading figures on both sides of the historic debate. From describing Merzenich's famous experiment's to the Silver Springs controversy, the author weaves the hard science and research with enriching personal anecdotes and experiences of those behind the discoveries.

First the book explores the discovery of neuroplasticity followed by a treatment on explaining the recent evidence supporting neurogenesis. Next follows discussions on plasticity in developing brains in children, then how sensory experience can induce changes in adult brains, and eventually reaches the debate of whether the mind can influence the structure and function of the brain through plasticity. All the while, Begley adds in commentary from the discussion between the Dalai Lama and the scientists and makes ties to the Buddhist philosophies that relate to the neuroscience being discussed. Finally, the book concludes with a discussion of the experiments carried out on monks and the changes that occur with years of mental training and meditation and how the relationship between Buddhism and science has illuminated new areas of research for neuroplasticity.

Complaints:
While I overall enjoyed the book thoroughly and thought it did a terrific job educating the reader on the advancements and the debate on plasticity, I wished there would have been a slight bit more background on the Buddhist principles and meditation practices mentioned throughout. Begley does a terrific job summarizing the science behind plasticity, but I think lacks in fully explaining the Buddhist concepts that provoked the study of the monk's minds near the end of the book.

Favorite Parts:
I most thoroughly enjoyed how Begley kept the book from being solely focused on the academic side of plasticity. Frequently throughout the book she describes the efforts that research on plasticity has enabled in aiding the treatment of diseases such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and dyslexia, but even more so, how the science of plasticity and the practices of mental training can help improve the general daily lives of anyone, not just those suffering from a disability or injury. Additionally, I appreciated reading of the respectful dialogue that is bridging the gap between modern science and religious traditions - as both disciplines have a tremendous amount to learn from each other as this book shows.

The power of thought has more influence in our physical and mental health than we can imagine. A group of Western and Eastern influencial people work together to discover how our own thinking creates changes in our brain. This book has already changed my brain This is one of many great books that talk about neuroplasticity. I strongly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

In this extrodinary book is one statement I disagree with. That is that Christianity presents more of a conflict with the results of the scientific research on the human brain than another religion. I think if the author will read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis she will find out how well the Faith lines up with the scietific research!!

This was a very good read on a subject--the brain, neuroplasticity, and the power of the mind--that I have long found particularly interesting. The author writes very eloquently, and at times, in just such a way that I felt was also quite touching. I found this to be an absorbing book, both due to the nature of the subject matter and the writer's wonderful ability to present it. I would highly recommend this book, especially to anyone with a bit higher than average curiosity regarding this particular sort of subject matter. If you are looking for a "self-help" style of book, written in a more personal style, this is not that book.

Train Your Mind Change Your Brain
By Sharon Begley
We no longer live in a world where our mind is set in stone. Sharon Begley makes the science of Neuroplasticity and mind science not only comprehensible but meaningful on a very personal level. For anyone who meditates and wonders about the effects of meditation on the brain. [...]

Sharon Begley's "Train Your Mind Change Your Brain" does a fine job of exploring the science of neuroplasticity which upends long thought beliefs that the brain becomes hardwired early in life and can't be changed other than through physical techniques like medication, etc. Rather, by concentrating one's thinking in certain ways, actual physical changes can be effected in the brain. That is, the brain affects the mind and the mind affects the brain, a two-way process. Plus, she shows how actual scientific testing proves this, both in animals and humans.

She sees Buddhism as an example of neuroplasticity in action.

The book offers a lot of things to ponder. These are the ones which stuck with me:

1. Unlike most other religions, there is no antagonism between Buddhism and science. Experience comes first, then reason, then scripture.

2. A shrunken hippocampus in the brain exists with depression, but not sure which came first. The result being the inability to recognize novelty.

3. The brain's cortical representation of the reading finger of proficient Braille readers is enlarged at the expense of other fingers. Such reader's brain's visual cortex is active, not just the somatosensory cortex, hence brain plasticity.

4. The loss of vision early in childhood, or before, makes peripheral hearing sharper, just as loss of hearing makes peripheral vision sharper.

5. Dyslexia can be at least partially ameliorated by behavior remediation actually repairing left temporal brain region dysfunction, therefore plasticity of the brain.

6. People who have lost a limb undergo some brain reorganization. For example, a missing hand can generate an itch relieved by scratching one's lower face. Also, stroke victims can benefit like from putting one's good arm in a sling to force the person to use the bad arm, resulting in repairing the brain by using the mind to concentrate on using the bad arm.

7. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) patients, by certain mental action can change the brain chemistry thereby preventing OCD.

8. For piano players, mentally rehearsing can activate the same brain circuits as actually physically rehearsing.

9. Genes can be silent or active, with the environment capable of activating the silent ones. For example, a child with an attentive mother will likely also become an attentive parent. However, a child with an inattentive mother will likely be an inattentive parent, however can also become an attentive parent if adopted later by an attentive mother.

10. Levels of brain hormones, oxytocin and vasopressin, can affect social bonding and parental care. Things like being very poor in a very rich country can cause a lack of these hormones, for example.

11. Cognitive functions (concentrating) can trigger emotional functions. For example, with Buddhist meditation it is possible to eliminate emotions of anger, hate, jealousy, envy, and greed.

12. "The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders", used by therapists, considers normality to be not having such disorders. However, no concentration of positive mental states like happiness, contentment, curiosity, drive, engagement and compassion. Why?

This book was amazing-the implications are far reaching for your own life, as well as your childrens lives. As a mom of three, and someone new to meditation, it's an exciting time to be raising young people. This book has made me think about every aspect of my life differently. I've reccommended it to everyone!!

Sharon Begley's fascinating book, shares new ways that show the reader how to train his/her brain. The inner powers of the mind go along way to make a differnce. Meditation is a pwerful tool in expanding brain function. Could those who meditate, decrease their risk of developing brain conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia? Read this book and discover the powers of meditation. This book is full of hope and optimism. Let the author share this and so much more with you.
by Susan Berg, author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby: Meaningful, Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones, and Involved Professionals

This book is a great summary of developments in the new field of neuroplasticity. It was a real eye-opener to learn how so many of "long time accepted" concepts in medicine have been proven to be wrong. It is also encouraging to see how thinking people are able to continue to contribute to learning new ideas.

This is an incredible book with news from the frontiers of neuroscience. It is well written in a very readable style.

For many years scientists and medical practitioners considered that once we reach adulthood our brains abilities were fixed. This book documents discussions between neuroscientists and the Dalai Lama and his scholars regarding recent new understanding about the ability of the brain to change at any age.

The reviews here are in general substantially on target. The book does miss the target advertised by the title editors. (ie. This is not a how-to book) Oh wait. That is not how it's done. The book gets written and then the marketing people try to help it find a place in the market, shaping its position with title, color, designs, and testimonials. (OK the editors may sometimes commission and then guide the project towards a market. But I digress and confuse.)

To Amazon: The graphic for the book is incorrect and not consistent with the title accompanying it. It is confusing.(Just Deserts for title writers who can't make up their minds about how to position their book on "changing" minds?)

To the audio production team: Did you hire the editor in the middle of the recording? Did you not pay her enough to listen to the entire reading? My relief was enormous when the obvious voice-over edit of the word "Causal" was finally (and from that point on) pronounced correctly. (Track 7 of disc 3, I think) Every single time before that the word was mispronounced as "casual," I wanted to scream. (Heck, I was alone in my car, I did scream.) There really is a big difference in science as well as in the language.

To Ms. Eliza Foss (reader): Once someone pointed out your error, did you not want to admit that you had been mispronouncing "causal" during all of the prior recording sessions?

Wait? Am I blaming the wrong people? I did not purchase the print version. Is it possibly spelled wrong all those other times in the print version? OK so I'm picky.

There is now proof the brain can be changed, and the changes possible will in the near future have a major impact on education, raising our children and how we treat strokes, depression and other concerns related to our overall well being.
The public is only now being introduced to what our neuroscience people have learned.
You will need to struggle to get through all the scientific information related to neuroscience, but it is will worth the effort.
This book introduced me to neuroscience and I am now on my third book related to the research and the application of the research to many of the problems we face in terms of our health and learning.

Another good book in a series of mind and body learning techniques that can make a difference in how one perceives another's pathology. The connection is extremely helpful in creating appropriate treatment techniques and interventions for people in recovery.

"Train Your Mind Change Your Brain" is NOT a guide to training your brain. It IS a summary of some of the history of neuroplasticity research, including research conducted with meditation adepts. ("Neuroplasticity" being the term that covers structural and activity changes that can be detected in a brain adapting to injury or new stimuli.)

There ARE a few things the reader can infer (exercise is apparently VERY beneficial to mental health, meditation techniques can lead to useful changes in overall types of brain activity, etc.). There ARE NOT any specific techniques described in sufficient detail that the reader can adopt to help make the changes. I DO NOT mind reading another book. I DO MIND wild goose chases.

So, after reading a chapter or two of "gee, here's the good news from the experimental neuro laddies," and "wow, the Dalai Lama is really a lot more hip to neuroscience than I ever realized," the reader will detect there isn't a lot more additional content.

One thing I admire about this book is that the author was courageous enough to defend animal research at a time where demagogues are halting scientific advances by trying to prevent animal research.
As the Dalai lama puts it : "I [acknowledge] that I exploit this animal to bring greater benefit to a great number of sentient beings." You must feel the sacrifice, in your heart. It is never made lightly."

Hatem A Tawfik, MD
Cairo, Egypt

I am not a psychologist,a psychiatrist, neuropsychiatrist nor a neurologist but I am an enthusiastic reader about psychology, psychiatry, neuropsychology and the brain. I have read many books and listened to CD's on these topics. This CD titled: " Train your Mind change your brain " by Sharon Begley and read by Eliza Foss is one of the best sources among many on this topic that I have read or listened to. It explains many latest scientific experiments carried out on animals and humans regarding the brain and the resulting findings. There has been a paradigm shift in brain science during the last several years. Sharon Begley explains that Buddist Monks and Yogis who meditate had known for a long time what neuroscience is just discovering about the human brain.

Sharon Begley clearly explains and backs up her explanations by refering to specific scientific experiments regarding to the loss of validity of long time beliefs of neuroscientists about the brain. These are :

1 - The number of neurons in the brain are not fixed at birth as once thought to be. The brain is not only capable of creating new synaptic ties between neurons, in addition the plasticity of the brain enables it to produce new neurons well into old ages.

2 - It was once thought that specific regions of the brain that are specialized in specific functions such as seeing for the visual cortex were capable of performing only that function. If that area of the brain is damaged or if the person were to go blind neurons in the visual cortex would decay and no longer function. On the contrary, according to the latest research the brain neurons can asume alternative functions thanks to the plasticity of the brain. The visual cortex in blind people does not die but assumes for example the function of touch and language along with areas of the brain already processing those functions. Other areas of the brain also have the capability of assuming alternative functions should the need arise. A person who has a stroke and can no longer move a limb can be trained to use other undamaged parts of the brain to assume the function of moving the limb. This finding is promising for people who are paralyzed due to a stroke. It was once thought that stroke disables the brain's ability to perform that function for ever. However, according to Sharon Begley latest research on the plasticity of the brain shows otherwise.

3 - Only upto several years ago it as thought that the brain controls the mind and not the other way around. The Buddist Monks have known for a long time that the mind also has the capacity to physically change the brain. Neuroscience is just coming to admit the mind's power over the brain. This has very favorable implications for psychotherapy, esspecially cognitive therapy whereby people can be trained to think in a certain way and chemically alter the brain to cure for example obssessive compulsive disorder, depression etc. It was once thought that chemical changes in the brain could be achieved only through medication, not by changing thinking patterns. One does not need to be psychopathalogical to benefit from the mind's power over the structure of the brain. Psychologically healthy individuals can also learn to train their minds to achieve beneficial structural changes in the brain and increase their potential. Mindfulness meditation is one of these mental training methods. Sharon Begley does not just claim these, as I wrote above she gives examples of many scientific experiments on humans and animals to support these assertions.

Anybody who is interested in the brain and / or psychology profesionally or as a hobby must carefully listen to this CD.

I am not a psychologist,a psychiatrist, neuropsychiatrist nor a neurologist but I am an enthusiastic reader about psychology, psychiatry, neuropsychology and the brain. I have read many books and listened to CD's on these topics. This CD titled: " Train your Mind change your brain " by Sharon Begley and read by Eliza Foss is one of the best sources among many on this topic that I have read or listened to. It explains many latest scientific experiments carried out on animals and humans regarding the brain and the resulting findings. There has been a paradigm shift in brain science during the last several years. Sharon Begley explains that Buddist Monks and Yogis who meditate had known for a long time what neuroscience is just discovering about the human brain.

Sharon Begley clearly explains and backs up her explanations by refering to specific scientific experiments regarding to the loss of validity of long time beliefs of neuroscientists about the brain. These are :

1 - The number of neurons in the brain are not fixed at birth as once thought to be. The brain is not only capable of creating new synaptic ties between neurons, in addition the plasticity of the brain enables it to produce new neurons well into old ages.

2 - It was once thought that specific regions of the brain that are specialized in specific functions such as seeing for the visual cortex were capable of performing only that function. If that area of the brain is damaged or if the person were to go blind neurons in the visual cortex would decay and no longer function. On the contrary, according to the latest research the brain neurons can asume alternative functions thanks to the plasticity of the brain. The visual cortex in blind people does not die but assumes for example the function of touch and language along with areas of the brain already processing those functions. Other areas of the brain also have the capability of assuming alternative functions should the need arise. A person who has a stroke and can no longer move a limb can be trained to use other undamaged parts of the brain to assume the function of moving the limb. This finding is promising for people who are paralyzed due to a stroke. It was once thought that stroke disables the brain's ability to perform that function for ever. However, according to Sharon Begley latest research on the plasticity of the brain shows otherwise.

3 - Only upto several years ago it as thought that the brain controls the mind and not the other way around. The Buddist Monks have known for a long time that the mind also has the capacity to physically change the brain. Neuroscience is just coming to admit the mind's power over the brain. This has very favorable implications for psychotherapy, esspecially cognitive therapy whereby people can be trained to think in a certain way and chemically alter the brain to cure for example obssessive compulsive disorder, depression etc. It was once thought that chemical changes in the brain could be achieved only through medication, not by changing thinking patterns. One does not need to be psychopathalogical to benefit from the mind's power over the structure of the brain. Psychologically healthy individuals can also learn to train their minds to achieve beneficial structural changes in the brain and increase their potential. Mindfulness meditation is one of these mental training methods. Sharon Begley does not just claim these, as I wrote above she gives examples of many scientific experiments on humans and animals to support these assertions.

The voices recorded in most audio books are masculine, I got tired of this even though most of the gentlemen spoke very clearly the shortage of female speakers in audio books was boring for me. At last this audio CD is read by a lady. Eliza Foss speaks very clearly, at an understandable pace and she has a voice that is very pleasant to listen to. She is a very good speaker / loud reader.

Anybody who is interested in the brain and / or psychology profesionally or as a hobby must carefully listen to this CD.

a great read in introducing many of the discoveries of neuroscience over the past several decades and past decade in particular. puts down any idea that the brain has no plasticity - even into old age. However, there could be more information on the actual "training" aspect. Most of the book is devoted to proving that the Brain can change in various ways, after describing what 5 neuroscientists described to the Dalai Lama about their recent discoveries. However, there is very little of the other side of the dialogue. I think there could be more information about What Tibetan Buddhism can teach from actual techniques for training the mind, once we know those techniques can change the brain. That said, it is still an excellent book, well written, with clear descriptions of neuroscientific discoveries.

Filled with interesting stories, quotes, and ideas about Buddhism and the evolution of the field of neuroscience, this book is truly a pleasure to read. My field of study as a graduate student at Johns Hopkins, the somatosensory areas of the brain that are responsible for our sense of touch, is described in some detail. Indeed, much of what we know about neural plasticity comes from studies of the somatosensory system, including the work of Merzenich, Sur, and others that is described in this book. I also think the reader comes away with the feeling that neuroscience and Buddhism are not mutually exclusive ways of understanding the brain and the mind, but are actually complementary. And, as Francis Collins has pointed out, science and spirtuality in general are not mutually exclusive. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

It's a mildly interesting book, especially when talking about the incremental science to support the ever-adaptive brain. Not the greatest read in this line but informative and easy-to-read

Read what I was interested in and then passed the book on to a friend. It really was not what I was looking for.

I think most of us believe we can acquire new knowledge and skills throughout life. The hard part is believing we can change habits and emotional responses. That the mind can actually cause physical changes in the brain. This book does a good job of showing that the evidence is accumulating that change can and does happen. However, it is not enough to simply have an insight. The book also relates the actual process of change to the meditative (mindfulness) techniques of Buddhism. I use this information and techniques in my work as a school counselor. It really works! It can make changes in your life as well!

This book is based in part on an Oct.2004 meeting bewtween the Dalai Lama & a group of western neurologists & psychologists to discuss the mutability of the human brain. The main positives of this book are that it is meticulously researched, & yet concise. But, despite the title it is not a self-help book. One should not expect any life altering experiences. This is a history of neuro-plasticity, a cerebral trait discovered by neuro-scientific experiments some twenty years ago. The books central message is that the brain/mind can change when we want it to. The techniques of mental discipline can be learned, & our negative traits reduced. Here eastern philosophy & meditation meets western neuro-science. When the reader is interested in the latest developments for treating dysfunction & depression, or in the mental deterioration brought by aging this is a good place to start. Basically, the adult brain retains much of the plasticity of the developing brain, to change the circuitry that weaves neurons into the networks that allow us to think, feel, dream, remember, & suffer. Some findings show that changes can occur by certain mental activities: like learning a language, or playing a musical instrument. To a degree, the neuro-science does blend with the buddhist belief that our reality can be created by our own thoughts & projections. I have learned that meditation can truly help alter ones feelings, especially in dealing with grief & depression. The book explains in detail how various experiments, training methods, & therapies can change the adult brain. It has shown a remarkable ability to cope with unexpected changes, like blindness, recovering from a stroke, etc. The crucial changes in the brain can willfully overcome neural problems like dyslexia, etc by changing its own circuitry. However, the book does not actually answer all of the questions it poses. I was also a bit taken back that the Dalai Lama would condone animal testing? His statment that the larger human community would benefit from the experiments felt expedient to me. Still, this is a four star book for all the data it contains.

For nearly a century, scientific dogma held that the brain is immutable, fixed by genes and early upbringing. Wall Street Journal science writer Sharon Begley recently visited the frontiers of neuroscience and returned with a news flash: The dogma is wrong. Researchers have discovered that the brain remains plastic, lifelong. This creates new frontiers: Stroke victims can rewire their brains using challenging exercises; deaf people can repurpose dormant auditory cortexes for other tasks; and blind people can begin to "see" patterns of Braille dots using a seemingly dead visual cortex. Suspecting that they were on to a general pattern, researchers soon looked for similar changes in "normal" brains. Working repetitively on your golf swing, playing the piano or learning a language, they found, also change your brain in lasting, important ways, as does practicing compassion toward others. Begley arrives with heavyweight friends: a foreword by the Dalai Lama and a preface by Daniel Goleman of Emotional Intelligence. If you want to understand how the brain keeps working, and how to make yours do more of what you want it to, we think you should start here. Your brain will thank you.