In a previous post, I discussed neuroplasticity as the central process in the brain on which I am focused.
Well, the main location where neuroplasticity occurs when it comes to the tics is a part of the brain called striatum – short for corpus striatum (or “striped body” in Latin).
There are two of those, one each hidden deep within each hemisphere of the brain.
In practical terms, striatum is crucial in “hitting the break” or “stepping on gas” when it comes to movements, particularly the ones to which we are habituated.
If that balance between movement initiations (“gas”) and movement inhibition (“break”) is inappropriately shifted, the body may perform movements that otherwise we wouldn’t want to happen – one form of those are the tics.
Importantly, striatum can be re-taught to correct those inappropriate patterns – that’s where I come in with the method I use.
