The area of our brains that’s responsible for executive functions is called the prefrontal cortex. Just as the president of the United States makes executive decisions from the Oval Office that affect the entire country, so activity in the prefrontal cortex our brain controls your body’s policies on lifestyle affairs. The brain is like the body’s Oval Office!
Given most everyone’s challenging with eating, it’s interesting to know that the prefrontal cortex is responsible for controlling consumption habits. A Canadian study at the University of Waterloo found that overeating junk food can be caused by errors in how this part of the brain functions.1 The researchers, who published their findings in Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine , discovered that there were operational flaws in the prefrontal cortex in people who craved and ate the most junk food during the experiment.
This means that for some of us, the brain is working against us instead of for us. Thanks, brain!
Studies have also found that the brain’s prefrontal areas can be an issue for people who struggle to control their behaviors. When high functioning, this part of the brain can manage automatic, knee-jerk type reactions like cravings for cheesecake, bread, or vodka and instead make better, healthier, long-term decisions on behalf of the body. When this part of the brain lapses or is “taken offline,” cravings, bad snacking decisions, and overeating are boosted and rage against the machine.
Your brain provides the underlying circuitry that causes you to behave in certain ways. Utilizing technology, scientists can now see the location and action of brain activation related to what you are thinking. For example, if you view a picture of your family, your brain activity can be assessed. The occipital lobe of the brain will exhibit and increase in blood flow that is detectable on a functional MRI scan or seen as electrical activity on an EEG. Visual perception received in that part of the brain causes it to “fire.”
Neuroscientists J. T. Kaplan, S. I. Gimbel, and S. Harris at the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California studied another important area of the brain when it comes to your life’s commitments. They found that when political beliefs are challenged, a person’s brain becomes active in areas that govern personal identity and emotional responses to threats.2 (Clearly, many people have a broke-brain)
Those resistant to changing their beliefs had more activity in the amygdala—a pair of almond-shaped areas near the center of the brain and the insular cortex—compared with people who were more willing to change their minds. This study also revealed that abilities such as self-control and power to change and grow can be wired into our neural circuits.
The brain, its intricate neural connections, and it’s incredibly complex patterns of firing greatly influence perceptions and behaviors. Yet, you also possess “cognition,” or the ability to think, evaluate ideas, process information, reflect, and become aware of the subtle beauty of life. The great news is you can change and improve both your brain and your thoughts. Your brain, thoughts, and actions are not permanently preprogrammed. As both brain and cognition improve, you can move toward a true, metamorphic, caterpillar-to-butterfly-like change.
NEUROPLASTICITY AND BRAIN-CHANGE
If you have a president in your body’s Oval Office who’s making bad decisions every day, don’t worry. You’re not stuck with him forever. The important parts of the brain like the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala can be built up, reconditioned, and remodeled, allowing you to better break free from neurologically induced habits.
Rebuilding and Remolding The Brain
Over the last several years, one of the most encouraging findings we have discovered about our future is that the brain can build, re-build, mold, and remold in order to better thrive and respond to its environment. This is called “neuroplasticity.”
Think of plastic as something you can add to and mold and you’ll better understand the concept of neuroplasticity. It allows the nervous system to rise above and go beyond any genetic limitations, current challenges, past experiences, or constraints and make the adaptations necessary to create a better future.
At one time, scientists thought that the brain’s growing, molding, and adaptation process occurred in-womb only. Now, thanks to one of the more exciting developments in recent biological history, we know the brain develops over the course of your entire life. The process of neuroplasticity occurs through the growth of new brain neurons and synaptogenesis—the growth of new nerve connections.
Your nervous system is always learning and making the necessary adaptations to excel in your environment, occupation, and overall mental and physical challenges. New neuron development, for example, occurs at an estimated rate of 2,000 per hour in the adult hippocampus. You have a new brain emerging every day, so never feel stranded with your old one! Your brain grows new nerve cells, molds them, and organizes and reorganizes them based on the input the brain is getting so that you can survive and thrive in your most common circumstances.
All of that to say, if you begin to input better health information, optimistic thoughts, hope, prayer, the right nutrients, fitness, and optimized nerve supply the brain will change and your life will change. THERE’S MUCH MORE TO SAY ON THE TOPIC!
Have fun changing your brain – and transforming your life
Dr. Ben
