Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums GT Research Neuroplasticity and Working Memory of the Gifted

There has to be research studies available that relate working memory and neuroplasticity. Those two constructs I assume, are the defining characteristics of gifted children and adults. Does anyone remember what psychologists may have said you regarding neuroplasticity of your brain from your IQ results?

My shrink, particularly because I am ADD/ADHD, spent some time talking about my working memory - attention, distractibility, and all of that. To have done significantly well on subtests requiring focus and attention would require some sort of coping mechanism, would it not? This would correlate very highly with the neuroplasticity of one's brain?

Any thoughts on this?

Quite frankly.....Not a clue!

Doesn't make sense to me. Lots of gifted people have lower (more average range) working memory scores without having ADHD.

Moreover, I've had conversations with Dr. Lucy Miller of the Star Center (OT place specializing in SPD) and neuroplasticity is the reason the brain can still set new pathways - the very reason that OT can make a difference - but it is believed that there is less neuroplasticity as one gets older.

Neuroplasticity is what would allow the problems in the brain to get fixed. If the brain already had developed a work-around to the problem, there wouldn't be much of a problem left, or would there?

My understanding is that ADHD can indeed involve very good focus at certain times - hyperfocus - not necessarily that one can never ever have good focus. I guess I don't really know but it doesn't sound right to me. You might find the chart at the end of this link interesting http://www.visualspatial.org/Articles/george.pdf

I guess this where a lot research becomes difficult. This is where I guess a lot of misdiagnosis in gifted children and adults can come from.

But if one has found a work-around, is the problem corrected, or has there just been an alternative method for problem solving? Its like insulin shots for diabetics; although there is no cure, there is a work-around. The problem still exists, it's just a way of managing. I hope that somewhat clarifies the point I was trying to make earlier.

Was that a bad analogy?

I think I get what you are saying and no, not a bad analogy.

I'm not familiar with nueroplasticity, but I am real interested in brain research, from a layman's point of view, or course.

Are you talking about the re-wiring of neural pathways, or coping mechanisms?

I am talking about both. How they are related, and what role neuroplasticity plays in one's ability to develop a coping mechanism, and or re-wiring neural pathways. Are they distinguishable, and what can be counted as definitive evidence for the distinction?

I had thought originally neuroplasticity would occur if the brain was still "growing". There is a PBS Frontline site that did a special recently on the Teenage Brain . It is very interesting what the neuroscientist are discovering. It mentions brain shaping and pruning during this time.

If the working memory is poor, I had thought many cope by creating a schematic map as a form of reference until it is stored in long term memory (?) That is just my hunch....

I am by no means an expert, and frankly am surprised I am responding to this thread since the title alone sent little messages to me to stay away since I wasn't exactly sure of what neuroplasticity was, LOL.

That being said, there is a lot of questions and discussion but I will respond to a bit of it. In regard to ADHD and whether the problem is corrected if one has found a way around it in the brain, or if is still there and there is an alternate way of problem-solving...my thinking is it doesn't really matter. When you think about it, medication isn't a cure either...it's a way to solve a problem. For those on medication for ADHD, they will find if they go off the medication, the symptoms will persist. So even if there was another way around the problem in the brain, it doesn't really matter. As long as the symptoms lessen, go away, or are more tolerable to deal with. That's my thinking, even if it is not all that educated and research base.

Regarding a slightly more research-based response, I recently went to a conference on self-regulation that was fascinating. In part of the conference We were discussing TBI, and frontal lobe injuries, and how there has been a recent study regarding a young boy that was missing part of his frontal lobe, but rewired and was using other parts of his brain to perform functions that weren't thought possible. He was able to problem-solve, had fair impulse-control, as well as appropriate social behavior. This was the first time they have seen this in someone missing those "crucial" parts. They were able to see in an MRI what parts of his brain he was using to compensate. It's quite fascinating to think that at least in certain circumstances a brain is able to create new pathways...even if it isn't all that common. It creates hope that it is possible. I find it all fascinating.