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How learning happens — 3 minute knowledge drops
Expand your mind every day with this new learning series.
Each day I’ll post a short, ~3 minute read that summarizes information from across a wide array of topics in science, art, history, and global politics.
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How does learning happen in the brain?
Learning involves changes in the brain that allow us to acquire new knowledge, skills, and behaviors. These changes occur at the level of individual neurons and their connections, which form the basis of our nervous system.
When we learn something new, our brains form new connections or strengthen existing ones between neurons, which are cells that transmit information within the nervous system. These changes in the brain’s neural connections are thought to underly our ability to remember and use the new information we have learned.
There are several different types of changes that can occur in the brain as a result of learning. These include:
- Synaptic plasticity: This refers to changes in the strength of the connections between neurons, which can be either increased or decreased. When we learn something new, the connections between neurons may be…
