Rehabilitation

The flip side of prevention is rehabilitation. Often what works to help prevent can also be used to help rebuild. Far more options and opportunities exist for a rebuilding of the human brain than has been conventionally thought possible. Throughout life, neurons make new connections, and unmake old ones. Indeed, only a decade ago, it was believed as scientific gospel that the adult brain cannot grow new brain cells. This has subsequently been shown to be completely wrong in animal models.

So too is the myth that brain dysfunction from trauma and disease is completely irreversible. If that were the case, we would throw up our hands and give up on those brave soldiers returning home with traumatic brain injury, we would give up on helping our aged parents or grandparents beginning a descent into the cognitive fog of Alzheimer's, and we would give up on our children with learning or behavioral disabilities.

But these are just the people on whom we must not give up. They are our siblings and our mates, our parents, our children, and one of every three of our friends. For their sake...for our sake...we cannot give up.

This is another of MIPC's vital missions.