Pondering the ‘Soft-wired’ Brain with Mike Merzenich

Professor Mike Merzenich of the University of California San Francisco has spent over six decades working to elucidate how sensory inputs – particularly sounds, sights, and touch – affect the structure and function of neuronal networks. In this episode he recounts his major discoveries and contributions to the understanding of neuroplasticity and to the development of tools for restoring and enhancing neuroplasticity including the invention of the cochlear implant and the brain training software ‘Brain HQ’.

 

The book ‘Soft-Wired’ by Michael Merzenich:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Soft-Wired-Science-Brain-Plasticity-Change/dp/0989432823

 

Review articles by Merzenich:

Development of the cochlear implant:

https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S037859551400207X?token=498168B45106A73637B08A11326B439B9DDCC769094D0CFA2A42CFAB19A3E1175A415223059084038220ABBB4266E8FA&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20220909122717

 

Neuroplasticity-based therapeutics:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4072971/pdf/fnhum-08-00385.pdf

 

‘BrainHQ’ website:

https://v4.brainhq.com/?v4=true&fr=y#survey/ftux