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After watching this, your brain will not be the same | Lara Boyd | TEDxVancouver

TEDx Talks

44.8M views 10 years ago

Warm-up Questions

What do you think it means when someone says, “your brain will not be the same” after watching a talk?
What kinds of things do you hope to learn about the brain from a TEDx talk like this?
Do you think people can change their brains through practice? Why or why not?

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After watching this, your brain will not be the same | Lara Boyd | TEDxVancouver

Misconceptions and the discovery of neuroplasticity (00:00 – 02:39)

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1. What did many people used to believe about the brain after childhood?

It only improved with age
It stopped using chemicals
It became twice as active
It could not really change

2. According to the speaker, what is true even when you are resting and “thinking of nothing”?

The brain is mostly inactive
The brain is highly active
Only one small part of the brain works
The brain shuts down to save energy

3. Which discovery does the speaker describe as especially “transformative”?

That the brain is silent when you rest
That learning a new fact or skill changes your brain
That the brain cannot change after puberty
That MRI scans are no longer needed in research

After watching this, your brain will not be the same | Lara Boyd | TEDxVancouver

How the brain changes: chemical, structural, and functional (02:39 – 06:04)

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1. Which type of brain change supports short-term memory and quick performance improvements?

Functional changes (regions becoming permanently larger)
Structural changes (new physical connections)
Genetic changes (DNA rewriting)
Chemical changes (more chemical signaling between neurons)

2. Why might you feel you “got it” during practice, but lose improvement the next day?

Because chemical changes happened but did not induce the structural changes needed for long-term memory
Because long-term memory forms instantly and then fades
Because the brain stops learning during sleep
Because motor skills cannot be learned in adults

3. What example does the speaker give to show that certain skills can be linked to larger brain regions?

People who eat spicy food have larger taste areas
People who read Braille have larger hand sensory areas
People who watch TV have larger visual areas
People who sleep more have larger hearing areas

After watching this, your brain will not be the same | Lara Boyd | TEDxVancouver

Limits, variability, stroke recovery, and personalized learning (06:04 – 14:24)

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1. What does the speaker say is the best driver of neuroplastic change in the brain?

A single universal learning method
Your behavior (what you do)
A neuroplasticity drug
Only your genetics

2. What is one major limitation to developing therapies that speed recovery from stroke, according to the speaker?

The brain never changes after damage
Robotics and exercise cannot affect the brain
MRI makes research impossible to analyze
Patterns of neuroplasticity are highly variable from person to person

3. What does the speaker suggest you should do to improve learning and brain health?

Avoid struggle during practice
Repeat healthy behaviors and break unhealthy habits
Stop practicing once you feel improvement
Find one perfect strategy and use it for everyone

After watching this, your brain will not be the same | Lara Boyd | TEDxVancouver

Transcript will load here…

1. What is “neuroplasticity” in this talk?

The brain’s ability to change in response to learning and behavior
A medication that speeds learning
The idea that the brain is mostly fixed after childhood
A method for reading minds using MRI

2. Which statement best matches the speaker’s main message about learning?

Practice and behavior shape the brain, but the best strategies vary by individual
Learning is mainly about talent, not practice
There is one proven recipe that works for everyone
Most learning happens without effort

3. Why does the speaker bring up “personalized medicine” and “biomarkers”?

To argue that learning can be standardized for all people
To claim that recovery after stroke is always quick
To show that individuals may need different interventions based on their brain characteristics
To suggest that chemotherapy improves memory

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

After watching this, your brain will not be the same | Lara Boyd | TEDxVancouver

The speaker says neuroplasticity can be positive or negative. What are examples of each from your life or society?
Do you agree that “nothing is more effective than practice” for learning? When might that be true, and when might it be limited?
How should schools change if there is “no one-size-fits-all approach to learning”?
If you wanted to “build the brain you want,” what habits would you repeat and what habits would you try to break?