This very readable book takes the layperson on a journey through a variety of cases and researchers involved with neuroplasticity. Where other texts have tended to focus on one aspect (e.g., brain injury, countering aging, psychotherapy), Doidge is unusual in that he combines rather different cases into one book. In this mix, you'll find the tales of recovery from stroke, the story of a girl born with only one brain hemisphere, and musings on neural changes after exposure to pornography. The brain is not set in stone in childhood; it continues to add new cells and form new connections between cells until the day we die.

Be warned, however; much of what we've learned about the workings of the brain has come from animal research, and the details aren't danced around in this book. In fact, the author spends quite a few pages defending the research using silverbacks conducted by Taub; he makes the case that PETA had its facts wrong and actually did more harm to the animals by taking them away from the lab. Readers will encounter examinations of the brains of sacrificed animals, but they will also find descriptions of human autopsies and their findings. For example, the findings of new cells in the final days of life aren't from indirect evidence, but direct observations from autopsies. Such descriptions do not make up the bulk of the book, but they are more than a few pages and particularly sensitive readers may want to find another book to read.

Weaving clinical anecdotes with background on prominent researchers, Doidge makes a very good case that research on humans and other animals can translate to improvements in quality of life for those with impaired development or brain injury. Well-referenced, the work tucks away literature citations at the end of the book so that they don't interrupt the flow of the narrative.

Although the chapters of the text cover a variety of cases, the commonalities of neuroplasticity come through clearly for the reader to make this work a unified whole. I recommend this book for any educated layperson who'd like to know more about the flexibility of the brain without learning a vast new terminology.

Good, readable introduction to the growing field of neuroplasticity. Should be required reading for anyone over 50--it's never too late! Extensive notes, references, and index. ( )

This information is rewriting the text books on how the Brain does and does not work. This will challenge you to question and redefine your current held views.

For a long time, the brain was considered to be hard-wired. When damage was done to the brain, it was thought to be irreversible and something the sufferer must simply learn to live with.

'Not so,' says researcher Norman Doidge, a psychiatrist and researcher in neuroplasticity. He presents evidence of the brain's ability to re-wire itself following traumatic injury to allow other parts of the brain to completely or partially take over the activities previously associated with the injured area. He does this thru the compelling use of case histories and demonstrates the variable amounts of success patients have achieved.

A thorougly engaging read that opens up a myriad of possibilities for brain research and personal improvement. ( )

"The Brain That Changes Itself" is about the scientists doing research on brain plasticity and some of the people who have experienced, or are experiencing changes in brain plasticity. The author has a psychiatric background; in fact he says psychoanalysis is a form of neuroplastic therapy.

There are various case studies in this book, ranging from the man who was able to beat his internet porn addiction and go back to healthy relationships; the woman who was born with half a brain (and managed to mostly compensate for it); the woman who was labeled learning disabled but overcame it to teach other learning disabled children; and how most people are not too old to learn new things.

In fact, it is strongly recommended in this book that people keep learning throughout life: such as learning a new language in your 50s, or learning a new skill such as dance routines. However, the book doesn't promise that every single person's brain challenges can be solved; sometimes there are hurdles such as "chemical" brain issues. It does provide encouraging news that many people can adapt to challenges given to their brains, ranging from those who suffer strokes to those who receive cochlear implants. It is not a self-help book but there are resources provided in the book for readers who might want to learn more about a particular topic that was discussed in the book.

I thought this was a very readable book and a layperson unfamiliar with science and/or psychology would be able to understand it. ( )