Guest blog by Judy Illes, Ph.D.
Do human beings shape their environment to shape their brains? Yes, argued Yale University’s Bruce Wexler, M.D., at this year’s Brain Awareness Week Lecture at the University of British Columbia (UBC). During his lecture at UBC’s Brain Research Centre on March 21, and earlier in the day at Vancouver General Hospital’s Neurology and Neurosciences Grand Rounds, Wexler explored this question by discussing the interface among neuroplasticity, the impact of the environment on neurodevelopment, and the interaction between internal schema (how we picture the world) and external stimuli through the aging process.
During his lecture Wexler argued that in early life, neural plasticity and our limited ability to act on our surroundings mean that our brains, and internal cognitive schema, have to adapt to match our external environment. Our perceptions and beliefs, including our notions of morality, are shaped during this time by sensory stimuli and reinforced by the associated neuronal activity. These processes are significantly influenced by our relationships with our parents, family members, caregivers, educators and others.
As we age, neuroplasticity diminishes while our ability to manipulate our surroundings increases. This reversal leads to increased sensitivity to stimuli that are consistent with our now-stable internal psychological structures and a devaluing of unfamiliar inputs. Despite our efforts to control our environment so that the sensory input from our environment and our rigid internal psychological structures match, there are times when we are unable to maintain this balance, for example during periods of bereavement or culture shock. These observations lead to what Wexler referred to as a “neurobiological antagonism to difference,” which, applied to society-wide phenomena, can partially explain the occurrence of conflicts between distinct social or cultural groups.
Wexler’s research provides perspective on the interactive dynamic between our plastic brains and social environment. How we conduct ourselves as moral human beings is greatly influenced by this process.
Judy Illes, Ph.D. is Canada Research Chair in Neuroethics and Professor of Neurology at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Dr. Illes also is a member of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives. This lecture was supported by the Dana Foundation.
[Also see another blog on the Brain Awareness Week discussions in Banff, “Communicating neuroethics in the age of Twitter”]
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