If you watch baseball I have an analogy that might help.
Neuroplasticity is like training baseball players to play a different position. You can train almost anyone to play first base--though it was exceedingly painful for Yankees fans to watch Jason Giambi flub those plays, which is why they spent all that money on a real first baseman. On the other hand, forget about training someone to be a good shortstop, you need to be fast and flexible, which is why the Red Sox, with oodles of money, when through all those players, looking for someone who could play that position and also hit the baseball. This comes at a cost--a player might be do something else better--this often applies to catchers who get beat up by mis-thrown balls and errant bats. Someone might hit 100 pts higher as a first baseman or DH than as a catcher. But, you can't play a baseball game without a catcher.
05 Jan 2011, 9:24 am
