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Brain usage habits determine long-term function
“The core thesis of the book is that how we use our brains as the primary determinant of how they function. Very much like if you want to be bigger, stronger, fitter, your training is how you change physical function. And so how you use your brain is how you change brain function. Whatever you want your brain to be good at is what you should be doing on a daily basis, because that's what helps build and maintain function.”
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Environment shapes human brains more than other species
“The human brain is more attuned to adapt to its environment than any other species' brain. It's kind of, at birth, we're born with a brain that's essentially, the most complex parts of the brain are completely undeveloped, and then they are shaped by the environment more than any other species. That's what's allowed us to thrive in so many different environments.”
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Home environments drive recovery more than clinical settings
“When we do these big studies looking at what determines, or what predicts how well their brains function later on in childhood, the biggest predictor or the most important factor is the home environment. There are different ways to measure this, but it's basically then related to socioeconomic status, reading, education, nutrition. All that kind of stuff that happens at home is more important than what happens in the hospital.”
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Complex motor skills and risky play build capacity
“We're talking about in childhood, something that we'd call risky play. So that's types of play where there's maybe a small risk of injury, maybe there's a risk of getting lost, but it requires learning of complex motor skills, emotional regulation. So sports, languages, music, and at the same time, making sure they're getting a nutritious diet.”
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Modern technology causes overstimulation without deep learning
“Nowadays, you might think that we are at the same time over-stimulated, multitasking, task switching, social media, technology, all that kind of stuff. And then we're also under-stimulated from like a skill development, complex learning, focus, attention kind of stuff. I like that it kind of will force people to think about that because there is a balance between this potential for over-stimulus in the modern environment versus not getting enough of this kind of truly deep stimulus.”