# Interesting topic(s) you think other people should know about? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 18, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-topic-s-you-think-other-people-should-know-about/464227 "2008-09-18T23:21:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frustrated_Wonderer)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-topic-s-you-think-other-people-should-know-about/464227/1 "2008-09-18T23:21:56Z")
I’d like to know what fellow dopers find interesting or peculiar and share it on this thread. You can post a link if you want, you can post a summary of what the subject is about, you can even reccomend a book you think others might be interested in. One topic which is relatively knew in the realm of psychology is the topic of **Neuroplasticity**. Here’s a link introducing this topic: > **[Neuroplasticity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroplasticity)** > > Neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity, or brain plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. It is when the brain is rewired to function in some way that differs from how it previously functioned. These changes range from individual neuron pathways making new connections, to systematic adjustments like cortical remapping or neural oscillation. Other forms of neuroplasticity include homologous area adaptation, cross modal rea Neuroplasticity has to do with the brain’s amazing ability to use other parts of itself if an area is damaged. For example, if the part of your brain that regulates balance is damaged, there are machines you can attach to your head that gives you light electric shocks that “point out” what part of your body is leaning in which direction. Practice whith this machine a few times, and your brain will “incorporate” another completley different part of itself in order to capture the ways of montion. Brain Scans have shown that the brain lights up for motion in a different area once this technique is used. Practice long and often enough and you can teach your brain to do almost anything. You can improve alzheimer’s, ADD and even Down Syndrome with techniques that effectively teach the brain a different way of functioning. For a \*very \*interesting book on this topic, I’d reccomend The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doige: > **[The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of...](https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100)** > > The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science \[Doidge, Norman\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of... So, dopers, what subject(s) do you know about that you think others should look at as well? ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-topic-s-you-think-other-people-should-know-about/464227/2 "2008-09-18T23:52:03Z")
Constructing languages, aka conlanging. I know there’s at least one other person on the board that’s into it. I used to hang out on a couple of newsgroups about it but they were all linguistics experts or something and I was just goofing around. Worldbuilding too.