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Neuroplasticity: Brain Building



    1                                                                                                       4

    Our brain is made up of lots of

    brain cells called ‘neurons’.                                                                           When we think, do or say
                                                                                                            anything, lots of neurons
    Neurons are shaped a bit like                                                                           fire signals at the same time
    a tree. They have a trunk                                                                               to create a‘neural circuit’ or

    (called the ‘axon’) and                                                                                 ‘brain circuit’.
    branches (called ‘dendrites



                                                                         dendrites                          5
    2

    Whenever we think, do or say                                                                            A neural circuit is a bit like
    anything, neurons pass                                 axon                                             road system, but instead of
    information to each other                                                                               roads, there are electrical
                                                                        synaptic gap
    through an electrical signal.                                                                           signals linking neurons in
                                                                                                            different parts of our brain.


    3
    The electrical signal is passed                                                                         6

    down the axon of the neuron.                                                                            Every time we do the same
    The brain cell then releases                                                                            thing, the brain circuit gets
    special chemicals called                                                                                stronger and faster.

    neurotransmitters which help
    the signal travel over the                                                                              The stronger the circuit, the
    ‘synaptic gap’ to the next                                                                              better we get at that task.
    neuron.
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