It’s not the destination….it’s the journey.
Well that’s not quite true for the BFP: for me the destination enhanced the journey, regardless: that “made it” feeling… done and dusted.
My progress through the exercises over 40 sessions gave me evidence of brain plasticity (which is an intrinsic property of the human brain), of my capacity to learn and remember: although some aspects were obviously more vulnerable than others. The “journey” provided a demanding and intensive experience and tested my patience often.
Sensory system changes
Evidence of plasticity (improvements indicated in the previous post) implies that I have engaged and developed my sensory system machinery and its many connections to other complex aspects of brain function. That is worth the journey!
Like the London cab drivers learning “the knowledge” for navigation of London streets, if you put me into an fMRI you might even see some physical change… (perhaps not!).
Practice, practice, practice
Within the context of the BFP at least, the intensity of the experience served to make me more aware.
- it enhanced attention (the spotlight).
- increased accuracy and speed of processing, particularly in the initial stages
- increased clarity (reduced neural fuzziness and noise through age or disuse),
- reduced unreliability and distraction, (clearer models for memory)
- my working memory needs greater attention
An Easy Life?
What I learned was a lot about myself. The intensity of the experience was almost like learning to play an instrument…..start off simply, paying close attention to the music notation, getting it “right”, practice practice practice and move on to something more complex. Or learning a new language….a similar approach.
It is so easy to slide into and out of less challenging situations. Merzenich’s words that “older adults just want an easy life and they don’t know how bad it is for them”, rings in my ears. It is so easy to be just busy but much harder to be mentally challenged and to “get it right”! Try learning to use a computer application like Final Cut Pro, that’s a challenge!
A walking book club
Arthur Kramer says “Without doubt we are constrained by our age, but as individuals we can influence whether we function at higher or lower ranges by engaging in or refraining from intellectual, physical, and social activities. Decline in our abilities is not fixed and we can slow its course. We have the potential for positive change, our plasticity is maintained throughout our lifetime.”
His idea was to start a walking book club: physical exercise, social/emotional connection, and an intellectual challenge all in one package! Someone should take up the idea.
Now it’s back to the real world for a less aging brain….. and a start on “INSIGHT” the visual processing and memory program by Posit Science.
