My Plastic Brain

Using herself as a guinea pig, a science journalist explores "neuroplasticity" to find out whether she can make meaningful, lasting changes to the way her brain works.In disparate books such as THE HAPPINESS PROJECT, THE NO-SPEND YEAR, and THE YEAR OF YES, individuals have spent a set period of time trying a specific experience and then reporting on it, sharing the takeaway for the rest of us. In MY PLASTIC BRAIN, Caroline Williams spends a year exploring the concept and application of "neuroplasticity" —the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections—to find out whether she can make meaningful, lasting changes to the way her brain works.     An experienced science journalist with access to cutting edge neuroscience experts and facilities, she volunteers herself as a test subject, challenging researchers to make real changes to the function and performance of her brain. She seeks to improve...