Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses the differences between different forms of DHA in terms of bioavailability and transport into different cells. She talks about why a specific type of DHA (DHA in phosphatidylcholine) is more readily transported into the brain because it forms DHA-lysophsophatidylcholine. Krill oil and salmon roe both have a slightly higher concentration of DHA-lysophosphatidylcholine. She also talks about astaxanthin, a carotenoid that is unique to krill oil, and has potent antioxidant activity and prevents the oxidation of DHA and EPA.

How would you like to build new neural connections so that you can align your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors with what you ultimately want to achieve? You're in luck. You are innately endowed with the ability to train your brain to become an elite performer (if that's what you desire to do).

For a moment, imagine your brain as if it is it's own planet. Your "neural planet" has a population of some 85 billion neurons. Just as people in close proximity interact with one another, neurons communicate to each other via synapses and neurotransmitters. A synapse is an electrochemical junction between two nerve cells, in which impulses pass by diffusion of chemicals, also referred to as neurotransmitters.

If you took a consensus of your mental world, neurons of different sizes would be visible all over. Neurons that fire together look somewhat like a social gathering occurring. From a bird's-eye view, you would be able to see "remote villages" variably exchanging conversation, "towns" making more connections, and "large metropolitan areas" continuously in contact.

Synapses vary in size because the frequency of neural communication dictates the size and efficiency of their pathway. Infrequently used trails can become freeways and vice versa.

This connection between neurons, and clusters of neurons, is the essential function of the brain. Every time you think, feel, act, emotionalize, or remember, you reinforce existing brain neural connections or create new ones. There are neural patterns for everything, from standing to reading this page. The innumerable patterns in which your brain cells connect and share information reflects your brain's capacity to perform. 

The old scientific paradigm held that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Fortunately, the old paradigm has evolved and incorporated the science of neuroplasticity, which suggests the brain can change and it can happen at any time. Like plastic, neurons can mold into new forms, creating new connections. Any time you learn a new skill, the brain is changing by making new neural connections. Whether it is learning to play an instrument, speaking a new language, discovering a new route home, eating whole foods, and so much more, your brain begins to change itself.

Learning is forging new connections. Remembering is maintaining and sustaining those connections. And just like a relationship, the more communication that occurs, the more bondage that takes place. Neurons are the same way.

What is really fascinating, is that you can change your brain, not only by doing, but also by thinking. Researchers have demonstrated that the act of focusing and being present through meditation changes the brain in many ways. 

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change itself, and it's the innate ability that you can harness to help you attain your goals.

You are able to reshape your brain using the same principles that your brain was built - neurons firing and wiring, syncing and linking together.

There are three ways that neuroplasticity can change your mind:

1. Neurogenesis: More Locations to Travel
   Neurogenesis is the process of creating more neurons. Increasing neural connections is often referred to as increasing "grey matter". In an adult brain, learning new skills typically occurs in areas like the hippocampus.
   
2. Hebb's Rule: More and Larger Connections
   Neurons that fire together, wire together. This is based on what is called Hebb's rule, which postulates that neurons that communicate with each other electrochemically create a bond, or path. As neurons communicate more frequently, more paths are created and these paths get larger.
   
3. Myelin: More Efficient Connections
   Myelin is a fatty sheath that insulates neurons, increasing conductivity, allowing a more rapid transmission to occur, thereby improving the connection between brain cells. Myelin is often referred to as "white matter", and is thought to improve the function of neurons.
   

More neurons, more connections, and more efficient connections. These are the three ways to exponentially transform your life. But, there is a caveat. As an adult, some of your neuroplasticity is turned off. But once again, you're in luck, you can turn it back on.

As an infant, the brain is a sponge, absorbing what it can in an effort increase the chances of survival. As you age, your neuroplasticity slows down as new memories and skills are created; habitual patterns begin to direct most of your daily activities, and novel ideas get pushed to the back burner.

As an adult, learning processes, beliefs, and behaviors become, more or less "fixed" within the neural pathways of the brain. This means the plasticity switch is predominately in the "off" position, to varying degrees in each individual. One person may be so set in their ways that to try to get them to see things from a new perspective is like talking to a brick wall. Whereas another person may be more flexible and is able to take all sides into consideration. In either case, neuroplasticity can work at any age, so in the case of that brick wall, the only thing holding them back is themselves. They're not old dogs who can't learn new tricks, they're just uninformed, or perhaps unwilling.

Here are six time-tested principles to turn on neuroplasticity:

1. Novelty and Curiosity
   From an evolutionary perspective, novelty led to one of two things: danger or reward. Brains that paid attention to novelty could tell the difference between a threat and reward, and therefore had a better chance of surviving. When you encounter novelty, new information enters your senses, perceptions, and creative thoughts to merge with older information stored in memory, triggering the release of dopamine, which in turn stimulates new neural activity.
2. Pain and pleasure
   Pain is the most powerful force to wire new connections in the brain. Conversely, fun an exciting experiences also activate neuroplasticity.
3. Purpose - Your Why
   Your dreams, goals and objectives powerfully effect your brain by potentially containing the promise of a future reward. This increases you motivation, providing your brain a sense of purpose and direction, which helps activate neuroplasticity.
4. Focus
   Researchers have demonstrated that attention to specific tasks, such as mindfulness meditation, can significantly change the brain. By learning to gradually increase your ability to narrow and sustain your attention, neuroplasticity mechanisms can be predominantly activated.
5. Exercise
   Consider this: your mind is reflection of your body. Regular exercise profoundly benefits the the brain in many ways. From increasing neural circulation and neural growth factors, to reducing stress and depressing, partaking in a consistent exercise regimen can promote neuroplasticity.
6. Discomfort
   Your comfort zone is a habitual space that contains your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, where your brain runs on autopilot. This is where 95-97 percent of your daily activities originate. While you spend most of your time operating from your comfort zone, a minimal amount of new connections are being made. Stepping out of the comfort zone into the growth zone is similar to exploring novel experiences in that it exposes you to learning. When done deliberately though, like a rubberband, you can stretch your mind to new dimensions.

Here are some more ways to activity neuroplasticity:

• Meet new people every week
• Engage in intense meaningful conversation every day
• Engage in physical activity every day
• Engage in a variety of different projects each week
• Have specific, measurable, action-oriented goals based on your why
• Manage your stress levels
  
• Focus intently on one task at a time
  
• Make time to reflect on the meaning, purpose, and value of lide
  
• Think about and emotionalize your dreams, goals and objectives every day
  
• Learn one significant new thing (sport, hobby, skill, etc.) a year
  
• Have a rich social life
  
• Choose to constantly improve your health and diet
  
• Try new experiences
  
• Consciously pursue pleasurable activities every day
  
• Challenge you old beliefs and seek new perspectives about the world and yourself
  
• Make time for contemplative self-reflection
  
• Engage in a spiritual practice (prayer, meditation, mindfulness, etc.)
  
• Read new and challenging books (fiction and nonfiction)
  
• Brainstorm with community to discover more efficient ways to work and play
  
• Discover new levels of trust and intimacy with friends, partners, and family
  
• Practice being open-minded and accepting toward those with different beliefs
  
• Search for ways to reinforce and create new empowering habits
  

Clearly more is better. Neuroplasticity is a ongoing process, and if you are committed to being the best version of yourself, then it is a lifelong process.