Written by Sara Bozyel
It is indeed a fact that the human brain acts as a seat of learning. Our brain has been comprehending and apprehending knowledge since the day we opened our eyes to the world. Every action we take is perceived and stored by the brain so that it is never forgotten. However, it has only been in the last decade that research in the field of neuroscience has been able to observe and reveal how learning functions at the molecular level.
Your brain is primarily composed of about 85 billion neurons, which act as messengers, sending information in the form of nerve impulses, like electrical signals, to other neurons [Understanding, 2020]. These neurons are basically the foundation of acquisition. Without them, your brain would not be able to transmit signals and have control over the body and its actions. These learning-functioned neurons occur in the cerebrum, the most important part of the brain for learning, where memory and reasoning occur. Each area of the cerebrum specializes in a certain way; out of these functions, sight, hearing, speech, touch, short-term and long-term memory, language, and reasoning abilities are the most needed ones in learning. Through a network of neurons, sensory information is transmitted by synapses along the neural pathway and stored temporarily in short-term memory, a volatile region of the brain that acts like a receiving center for the flood of sensory information we encounter in our daily lives [How, 2022]. Once processed in short-term memory, our brain’s neural pathways carry these memories to the structural core, where they are compared with existing memories and stored in our long-term memory, the vast repository of everything we have ever experienced in our lives [How, 2022].
Neuroscientists have long believed that learning and memory formation are made by strengthening and weakening connections among neurons. Well, recent research has backed it up by proving it. It has been found that when two neurons frequently interact, they can form a bond that allows them to transmit more easily and accurately. This leads to more complete memories and easier recall. Conversely, when two neurons rarely interact with each other, the transmission often ends up incomplete, which leads to either a faulty memory or no memory at all [How, 2022]. According to this research, learning new things causes memory and recall to get stronger with frequency and recency. The more we practice and rehearse something new, the easier it gets for our brain to transmit these experiences efficiently and store them for ready access later. Since learning inherently requires the acquisition of new information, our brain’s propensity to focus on the novel and forget the redundant makes it a natural learning ally [How, 2022].
As we age and gain more experience, we become needier to acquire information. The learning process meets these needs and helps us obtain knowledge. It is incredibly important to have the enthusiasm to learn. Make sure you never lose it.
References:
How the brain learns. (2022, September 14). Training Industry. https://trainingindustry.com/articles/content-development/how-the-brain-learns/
Understanding your brain to help you learn better. (2020, May 14). Frontiers for Young Minds. https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2020.00054
Comments