Norman Doidge, a psychiatrist who shuffles his time between the University of Toronto and Colombia University, writes "the brain, far from being a collection of specialized parts, each fixed in its location and function, is in fact a dynamic organ, one that can rewire and rearrange itself as the need arises."

The brain not only can fix itself when physically damaged, but it can also change its structure to adapt to even the most challenging neurological conditions. Doidge, in his book, The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science, shares some very inspiring stories about real people who have been saved or have their lives improved through training based on the theories of brain plasticity.

The brain, "doesn't simply learn; it is always ‘learning how to learn'," Doidge explains.

Here's a video that poignantly demonstrates brain plasticity.