plasticity
Capacity for reshaping
Plasticity is the quality of being easily shaped or molded.
In materials science, it describes a substance's ability to undergo permanent deformation without breaking: the plasticity of clay.
In neuroscience, brain plasticity (or neuroplasticity) refers to the brain's capacity to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections—crucial for learning, memory, and recovery from injury.
The term extends figuratively to any capacity for adaptation or change: the plasticity of human behavior.
Nerve signal crossing point
- neuronsSignal-transmitting brain cells
- neuroplasticityBrain's self-rewiring ability
- brainSeat of cognition
- neurogenesisNew nerve cell formation
axon · dendrite · cortex · synaptic · learning · memory · reorganization · neurotransmitters
Moldable earth for ceramics
- sculptingShaping material into forms
- modelingSimulating or demonstrating form
- ceramicsHardened clay objects
- moldingDecorative architectural edging
shaping · form · manipulation · pottery · carving · texture · medium · impression
Capacity for deformation without breaking
- ductilityAbility to stretch unbroken
- deformableAble to change shape
- workableAble to be implemented
- bendableAble to curve
forging · annealing · tempering · shaping · extrusion · hammering · rolling · casting
Ability to adapt easily
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- versatilityCapacity for varied applications
- adjustmentAlteration to improve fit
- modifiabilityCapacity to be adjusted
changeability · responsiveness · mutability · reconfigurability · fluidity · dynamism · transformation · evolution
Observable characteristics of organism
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- epigeneticsHeritable expression changes, sequence intact
- gene expressionDNA to functional product
- critical periodOptimal developmental timeframe
synapse
Nerve signal crossing point
- neuronsSignal-transmitting brain cells
- neuroplasticityBrain's self-rewiring ability
- brainSeat of cognition
neurogenesis · axon · dendrite · cortex · synaptic · learning · memory · reorganization · neurotransmitters · neuropathways
clay
Moldable earth for ceramics
- sculptingShaping material into forms
- modelingSimulating or demonstrating form
- ceramicsHardened clay objects
molding · shaping · form · manipulation · pottery · carving · texture · medium · impression · contour
malleability
Capacity for deformation without breaking
- ductilityAbility to stretch unbroken
- deformableAble to change shape
- workableAble to be implemented
bendable · forging · annealing · tempering · shaping · extrusion · hammering · rolling · casting · molding
flexibility
Ability to adapt easily
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- versatilityCapacity for varied applications
- adjustmentAlteration to improve fit
modifiability · changeability · responsiveness · mutability · reconfigurability · fluidity · dynamism · transformation · evolution · reinvention
phenotype
Observable characteristics of organism
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- epigeneticsHeritable expression changes, sequence intact
- gene expressionDNA to functional product
critical period · morphogenesis · imprinting · sensitive period · acclimation
thermoplastic
Heat-softenable, repeatedly reshapable polymer
- thermosetPermanently cross-linked polymer
- elastomerStretchable polymer substance
- deformationChange in shape
viscoelastic · creep · strain · stress · molding · injection · extrusion · copolymer · resin · rubber
- structural engineeringstructural design, structural analysis, structural steel, structural engineering, stress analysis
- metal testingtensile strength, metal fatigue, compression test, hardness scale, ultimate strength
- developmentgrowth, progress, advancement, expansion, improvement
- Human Developmentgrowth, heredity, aging, genetics, puberty
- resilienceresilience, grit, bounce back, bouncing back, robustness
- texturessmoothness, smooth, soft, rough, roughness
plasticityrigidity
State of being unbending
stiffness · inflexibility · hardness · brittleness · firmness
plasticityrigidity
State of being unbending
inflexibility · fixedness · immutability · unchangeability · intransigence
- brain plasticityNeural network's ability to reorganize
- neural plasticityBrain's ability to reorganize
plasticizer, plasticize, plasticizers, plasticized, plasticizes