Neuroplasticity is a tremendously exciting topic but what does it really mean? Are we all just fooling ourselves because we so WANT to believe that brains can continue to heal themselves over time?

I want to believe neuroplasticity works.

This, then, is the truth about neuroplasticity: it does exist, and it does work. But it’s not a miracle discovery that means that, with a little effort, you can turn yourself into a broccoli-loving, marathon-running, disease-immune, super-awesome genius. The “deep question”, says Chris McManus, Professor of Psychology and Medical Education at University College London, is this: “Why do people, even scientists, want to believe all this?” Curious about the underlying causes of the neuroplasticity craze, he believes it is just the latest version of the personal-transformation myth that’s been haunting the culture of the West for generations.