Abstract: It has been gradually revealed that the nervous system has excellent rebuilding capacity throughout the entire life. The brain can be changed by either external factors such as sensory or behavioral experiences, or by internal factors like cognition, relax, and attention. A large-scale natural disaster like Wenchuan earthquake may initiate persistent brain functional changes by a brief exposure. Conversely, application of this principle of plasticity may lead to successful recovery of a damaged brain, repair of a mal-developed function, or reshaping of a deformed mind. The 3R (relax, recover, rebuild) technique may be employed in the treatment of various neural or mental problems with a variety of nature, including post traumatic psychological syndromes following Wenchuan earthquake.

Key words: plasticity, brain function, mental health, psychological recovery