The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by psychiatrist-researcher Norman Doidge catalogues recent scientific breakthroughs in neuroplasticity. It explores why scientists long believed in a hardwired, unchanging brain and how the discovery of plasticity changed not only the field of neuroscience but people’s understanding of human nature. It was first published by Penguin Books in 2007 and became a New York Times bestseller the same year. The Brain That Changes Itself was met with positive reviews for using accessible language to address neurobiology. It is praised by experts for its research, though some have questioned Doidge’s occasional tendency to rely on individual case studies to make generalizations.

This study guide refers to the 2007 Penguin edition of the book.

Content Warning: The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science uses the outdated “retardation” as a medical term in Chapter 2. It also discusses alcoholism and sexual abuse in Chapter 4, a physical assault in Chapter 11, and animal testing in Chapters 2, 3, 5 and 6—ranging from the altering of genes to premature termination.

Summary

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science explores the history of neuroplasticity and its effect on human behavior.