What is meant by 'neuroplasticity'?

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Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's remarkable ability to change and adapt throughout a person's life, particularly by forming new connections between neurons. This capacity is fundamental for learning, memory, and recovery from brain injuries. When we learn something new or experience new things, our neurons communicate and create pathways that reinforce those new connections, adapting to new information or experiences.

While the generation of new neurons, known as neurogenesis, is part of the overall neuroplasticity process, neuroplasticity itself is more broadly defined by the ability to change existing neural pathways and connections in response to learning and experience. Emotional regulation and memory, while related to brain function and structure, do not capture the essence of neuroplasticity as accurately as the formation of new connections does. Thus, the definition that highlights the capacity to form new connections is a clear representation of neuroplasticity.