brain remodeling is real. it is the basis of “practice makes perfect.” it is also responsible for delayed and milder dementia for folks with higher intelligence. when the brain is constantly working and challenged, new neural pathways are placed. therefore, someone with higher intelligence have the ability to use multiple neural pathways to solve complex problems. in a dementia situation, neurons are destroyed, but the more intelligent person manage to mask the dementia because he/she still have residual neurons that help him/her cope.
same with substance abuse. it is a feedback loop where the said substance lead to pleasure or sense of well being. this feedback loop after repeated stimulus become a feedback superhighway of sort. so an addict will always be more susceptible to the substance or substances for life.
this is why dietary control in children is so important. sugar is a powerful chemical that also lead to pleasure. so if a child has free access to as much sugar as he/she desires especially when his/her brain was in the formative stages, we got the building of a feedback superhighway where presence of sugar trigger a reaction much stronger than children who are controlled by their parents. the end result is he or she will always be more likely to go to sweet/carbs when seeking pleasure. this is why an obese child will always stay obese as an adult. this is brain remodeling at work.
