The Miracle of Neuroplasticity

Mri photo of my brain yes this is real
byu/brooklynlikestories ininterestingasfuck

Redditor brooklynlikestories shared a scan of her brain. She explained that she had a series of strokes before she was born. Doctors thought she would be never be able to walk or talk, and might even require a breathing tube. But, as one commenter put it, patients don't always read the text book. She has epilepsy, but otherwise lives a normal life. When people asked about her deficits, she says she isn't good at math and has bad eyesight, but that describes most of the world.

This is an example of neuroplasticity, a brain's capacity for rewiring itself as needed after an injury. Neurons make new connections and move functions from the damaged area to another part of the brain. It can happen at any age, but is more likely when the brain is young and still developing. In the comments, people shared dozens of stories of babies with brain damage who went on to graduate college because their brains compensated for the early injury. Several redditors also shared their own MRI scans that showed missing pieces. Continue reading to see them.