What phenomenon describes changes in the brain structure due to experience?

Experience-dependent plasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt its structure and function in response to experiences and environmental demands throughout an individual's life. This phenomenon encompasses a range of processes, including synaptic strengthening and the formation of new neural connections, which are influenced by learning and exposure to new information. For instance, engaging in a new skill or learning a new language can lead to physical changes in the brain, such as the development of additional dendritic spines and increased synaptic plasticity.

This concept is distinct from neurodegeneration, which involves the loss of neurons and synapses due to aging or disease, and from habituation, which refers to a decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated exposure. Neuroplastic stagnation, while not a widely recognized term in cognitive psychology, would imply a lack of change or adaptation, which contradicts the dynamic nature of experience-dependent plasticity. Thus, by emphasizing the brain's capacity to adapt structurally in response to experience, experience-dependent plasticity encapsulates this transformative process effectively.