Research

Neuroplasticity

Prior to the past decade, scientific thought held that the brain could not change. But in the last 10 years, research has shown that the brain can change, developing new nerve cells (neurogenesis) and strengthen or weaken neural circuitry. Emotional Brain Training draws on these understandings of neuroplasticity to provide repeated experiences to change neural circuitry to increase the strength and dominance of neural circuits that favor homeostasis and decrease the dominance of neural circuits that favor allostasis, in favor of establishing a new emotional set point outside the range of chronic stress, in order to prevent or improve stress symptoms and enhance well-being.

The brain is highly plastic and has the capacity to develop new nerve cells (neurogenesis) and create, strengthen, weaken and break neural circuits, thereby changing the physical structure and functional organization of the brain. Canadian psychiatrist Norman Doidge has in fact stated that neuroplasticity is "one of the most extraordinary discoveries of the twentieth century." The term plasticity to describe changes in neuronal processes was originated by Polish neuroscientist Jerzy Konorski. Until the last 10 years, the sub-cortical (limbic system and reptilian brain) was considered immutable in structure after childhood and other areas — such as the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex — were plastic after childhood, accounting for changes in explicit memory. Then UCSF's Michael Merzenich and Vanderbilt University's Jon Kaas as well as other researchers demonstrated that the brain is highly plastic throughout the lifespan. The brain change is use-dependent, so that the potential for a neuron to fire and wire to another changes with repeated experience. Neural circuits are the basis for all learning, including thoughts, feelings and behaviors, so the plasticity of the brain opens new opportunities in health care and education.

How neuroplasticity is applied in Emotional Brain Training

The method is based on rewiring the emotional implicit learning or the emotional brain. The emotional brain is comprised of the limbic system and reptilian brain, although the precise areas have been disputed. The processes of responding to daily life, self-regulation, the circuits that respond to internal and external stimuli to encode an emotional process, a neocortical process and a corrective response to the stimulus are stored in these primitive brain areas.

These circuits are encoded early in life before conscious memory systems mature and during stress, when the functioning of conscious memory systems is compromised. The use of the tools over time equips the prefrontal cortex, the seat of consciousness and oversight of the emotional brain with the pro. By rewiring the neuronal stress circuits that are maladaptive and strengthening the neuronal circuits that are adaptive people can create increased levels of persistent of well-being and resiliency. Adaptive and maladaptive circuits cannot fire at the same time, and the emotional brain only changes through experiences, so focusing on the present moment, and the next and the next and spending more moments of the day in well-being, switching the brain back to that state during stress, changes the emotional architecture of the brain. Positive emotional plasticity results are enhanced by creating sufficient stress to make the circuits fluid and open to change, but not excessive stress. Learning in increments also favors improved results, thus the six EBT kits. Being in an emotional environment in which there is support for using the skills effectively and often, giving opportunities to practice the tools with others who share a common goal – being wired at 1 – in consistent with research on positive plasticity.