The Brain That Changes Itself

For centuries the human brain has been thought of as incapable of fundamental change. People suffering from neurological... (more)

For centuries the human brain has been thought of as incapable of fundamental change. People suffering from neurological defects, brain damage or strokes were usually written off as hopeless cases. But recent and continuing research into the human brain is radically changing how we look at the potential for neurological recovery. The human brain, as we are now quickly learning, has a remarkable ability to change itself - to rewire itself. Based upon the best-selling book by Toronto psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Norman Doidge, this documentary presents a strong case for reconsidering how we view the human brain. Dr. Doidge travels throughout North America to meet some of the pioneering researchers who made revolutionary discoveries about the plasticity of the brain. He also visits with the people who have been most affected by this research - the patients whose lives have forever been changed - people once thought of as incurable who are now living normal lives. (less)