Juego, plasticidad cerebral y habilidades cognitivas / Game, brain plasticity and cognitive skills

La actividad de jugar es importante dentro del desarrollo humano, mientras se juega, se ponen en práctica distintas habilidades cognitivas en interacción con el funcionamiento de sistemas sensoriales y el sistema motor del cuerpo, lo cual se asocia a la construcción de aprendizajes. Jugar es una actividad que facilita comprender cómo es el mundo y cómo nos integramos en él. El presente artículo tiene como objetivo desarrollar una reflexión sobre la relación del juego con la plasticidad cerebral y el desarrollo de habilidades cognitivas. La hipótesis se centra en destacar el juego como una actividad que estimula la plasticidad cerebral y facilita el fortalecimiento de las habilidades cognitivas en todas las etapas del ciclo vital (no exclusivamente en la infancia). La guía de la cavilación consistió en una revisión del concepto de juego relacionado con conceptos de aprovechamiento de la plasticidad cerebral y estimulación de habilidades mentales. El propósito que ha orientado el artículo es convocar a la reflexión sobre la concepción y práctica del juego, con la intención de sumar a posicionar la actividad de jugar como una estrategia valiosa en los procesos de aprendizaje. El interés de los resultados se centra en dar sustento teórico a la acción de promover cada vez más la inclusión del juego en las intervenciones profesionales, en los procesos educativos y en las actividades de la vida cotidiana. La conclusión a la que se llega es que jugar resulta una excelente estrategia para facilitar la expresión de la plasticidad cerebral y las habilidades cognitivas.

The activity of playing is important within human development, while playing, different cognitive skills are put into practice in interaction with the functioning of sensory systems and the body's motor system, which is associated with the construction of learning. Playing is an activity thatmakes it easier to understand what the world is like and how we integrate ourselves into it. The present article aims to develop a reflection on the relationship between play and brain plasticity and the development of cognitive abilities. The hypothesis focuses on highlighting play as an activity that stimulates brain plasticity and facilitates the strengthening of cognitive abilities at all stages of the life cycle (not exclusively in childhood). The musing guide consisted of a review of the concept of play related to concepts of making use of brain plasticity and stimulating mental abilities. The purpose of the article is to call for reflection on the conception and practice of the game, with the intention of adding to position the activity of playing as a valuable strategy in the learning processes. The interest of the results is centered on giving theoretical support to the action of increasingly promoting the inclusion of the game in professional interventions, in educational processes and in activities of daily life. The conclusion reached is that playing is an excellent strategy to facilitate the expression of brain plasticity and cognitive abilities.

Changes in EEG current sources induced by neurofeedback in learning disabled children. An exploratory study.

The objective of this work was to explore Neurofeedback (NFB) effects on EEG current sources in Learning Disabled (LD) children, and to corroborate its beneficial consequences on behavioral and cognitive performance. NFB was given in twenty 30-min sessions to 11 LD children to reduce their abnormally high theta/alpha ratios (Experimental Group). Another five LD children with the same characteristics received a placebo treatment (Control Group). In the Control Group no changes in behavior or EEG current source were observed. In the Experimental Group, immediately after treatment children showed behavioral and cognitive improvements, but current source analysis showed few modifications; however, 2 months after treatment many changes occurred: a decrease in current of frequencies within the theta band, mainly in left frontal and cingulate regions, and enhancement in current of frequencies within the alpha band, principally in the right temporal lobe and right frontal regions, and of frequencies within the beta band, mainly in left temporal, right frontal and cingulate cortex regions. In conclusion, NFB is a possibly efficacious treatment for LD children with an abnormally high theta/alpha ratio in any lead. The changes observed in EEG current sources may reflect the neurophysiological bases of the improvement that children experienced in their behavioral and cognitive activities.