Key takeaway 1 : Neuroplasticity is a capacity all humans have

The brain and nervous system of humans is designed to change.

When a newborn comes into the world, its brain and nervous system are primed for change. The brain of a newborn is overconnected and through life (experiences; training, social interactions, way of life, …), some connections will be reinforced and others will be lost.

Key takeaway 2 : Neuroplasicity is free until about age 25

Neuroplasticity occurs nearly passively until about age 25.

After that, everything changes and the processes allowing one ot induce plastic changes to its nervous system and brain are dramatically different. Passive changes do not occur anymore (except for traumatic events) and one must actively engage in processes to trigger neuroplasticity. But it's possible !

Key takeway 3 : For adults, engaging in neuroplasticity requires to bring awareness

Adults need to bring the desired change to their consciousness, their awareness. And if they don't know what they want to change exactly, they at least need to be in a state where they are aware they want to change something.

This is not some murky concept. It truly is the start of the chemical cascade that will allow one to engage in neuroplasticity.

Key takeway 4 : Alertness is the gate to plasticity. It's necessary. But not sufficient.

By creating alterness, one can trigger the release of the adrenaline/epinephrine neuromodulators which then baths the entire brain.

It baths the entire brain because the way the circuit is built is very non-specific.

Key takeaway 5 : Paying attention is the second ingredient for plasticity.

By paying attention to something in particular. A skill that one is learning, a sound that one is hearing, a text that one is reading. A second neuromodulator is released and is acetylcolin.

Acetylcolin acts as a spotlight of attention within the brain. As one pays attention to a particular thing, acetylcolin will increase the signal to noise ratio for that thing and mark the neurons involved in the particular activity that one is overtaking.

Important! Note that acetylcolin will be released from two sites : brainstem and basal forebrain (nucleus basalis).

And one needs those three ingredients for plasticity : epinephrine from the locus coerelius and acetylcoline from the brainstem and basal forebrain. But it's then certain. Experiments have shown that when those three ingredients are there, massive plasticity happens. It has to happen.

Key takeaway 6 : How to create altertness

Alertness can be created in multiple ways and people should devise ways that work for them.

Basic ingredients include a good night sleep and a cup of coffee. More elaborate process can include alterness through shame, love or hate. Indeed, from a chemical standpoint, no difference is made between alertness created through love (I am doing this for my family), hate (I am doing this because I want to beat that mofo) or shame (e.g. posting to social media your failure to accomplish something)

Key takeaway 7 : The trap of the reward through dopamine

Pursuing a goal is generally tied to dopamine release. One wants to enjoy the reward of achieving something. But it can happen that just considering something triggers a reward great enough to stop one's from taking action.

For example, you tell your family that you are going to start a podcast about neuroscience. And they all cheer and say that's terrific, good job, … The dopamine release created by this approval might be good enough that you never have the desire to go further.

So beware of the dopamine trap. Motivation is a tricky thing and one should truly master their Why about a project they have.

Key takeaway 8 : How to create attention

Pharmacology can help increasing attention (nicotine or cholinergic drugs).

A natural way to increase attention is that mental focus follows visual focus. So narrowing the field of vision increases focus. For example, if you need to read and understand an article on your computer, you can take 60 seconds up to 2 minutes really focussing your vision on what is on the screen and not letting your gaze dilate to things around. This visual attention will trigger effects that will increase mental attention.

Hearing can also be used to increase focus. But usually, if one is sighted, vision overtakes hearing. That's why it's very difficult to both listen to someone and watch someone. So if a professor says listen to me carefully and watch me … They probably defeat the purpose of their speech

Key takeaway 9 : Agitation is key

Because neuroplasticity requires epinephrine, feeling agitated during learning is normal and expected ! Indeed, epinephrine triggers action. So the key is to dial the alertness (and therefore the agitation) so that it's not so much that one wants to jump around when learning.

But be prepared that true focus will come with agitation and the desire to move, to look elsewhere, … It's a skill to be able to continually bring back focus during a learning bout

Key takeaway 10 : Learning bout should take about 90 minutes

Learning bout should take about 90 minutes. During the first 10 minutes, attention will not be maximal. But then, one should be able to focus at least during one hours, continuously bringing back the attention. And then attention will fade away at the end of the learning bout.

Key takeaway 11 : Learning occurs during sleep or non-sleep deep rest

Actual learning occurs during sleep. So it's necessary to get a good night sleep after a learning session or the following day following a learning session.

Experiments show that NSDR protocols or nap just following a learning bout can increase significantly the learning rate.

Also, some evidence show that taking part in a motor activity like walking, … where one does not focus the visual attention to anything in particular, thereby shutting off the amygdala and the epinephrine system, helps increase the learning rate and recover from the learning session that precded.

Key takeaway 12 : Lucid dreaming can be influenced

If one desires to experience more lucid dreams, one can try to tether to the reality through a cue.

For example, one can draw a red apple on a notebook for several days before sleep. And then maybe during sleep, one will see a red apple and tie this experience to the reality of drawing the apple and push the conscious state into the sleeping state therefore creating lucid dreaming.