Which term refers to the brain's ability to adapt by forming new connections as a result of experience, learning, or injury?

• A. Dendritic branching
• B. Neuroplasticity
• C. Neural network
• D. Synaptic plasticity

Answer: (B)

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to adapt by forming new connections and reorganizing existing ones in response to experience, learning, or injury. This adaptability comes from both functional changes, where the strength of connections between neurons can increase or decrease (synaptic plasticity, including processes like long-term potentiation and long-term depression), and structural changes, such as dendritic branching that creates new pathways. It can occur throughout life, supporting learning and recovery after damage by reconfiguring neural circuits to meet new demands. While dendritic branching and synaptic plasticity are important components, neuroplasticity is the overall process that encompasses these changes, and a neural network refers to a model or system of interconnected neurons rather than the brain’s capacity for adaptation.