It used to be established dogma in scientific circles that our brains were fixed entities and did not change after growth in infancy. Since the 1970s we know this to be untrue and that in fact, the human brain is malleable and can change in response to new experiences,  stimulation or damage.

We call this ability to change the brain neuroplasticity – the term is derived from neuron (the nerve cells in our brain) and plastic (capable of being moulded).