How neuroplasticity works?

“Neuroplasticity occurs in the brain under two primary conditions:

1.     During normal brain development when the immature brain first begins to process sensory information through adulthood. In stages of normal development the brain goes through a transition from childhood when it is able to learn and make new connections easily, to adulthood when it is a bit more settled in its structure, but can focus on a single problem for longer and carry out more complex thought processes this is called “synaptic pruning”. This synaptic pruning happens in adolescence when the body is making the transition from childhood to adulthood.

2.     As an adaptive mechanism to compensate for lost function and/or to maximize remaining functions in the event of brain injury. These mechanisms that are involved in neuroplasticity stand out as important contributors to the developing brain’s ability to acquire new information, change in response to environmental stimulation, and recover from injury [Johnston et al., 2009].”