BNL · Brain Networks in Learning

Brain Networks in Learning

Learning is a complex process that involves different stages. It is thought to create a trace in the brain that serves as our memory. How we learn and memorize information is a hugely important question since this mechanism supports all knowledge from experience. Many studies have shown which parts of the brain are involved in different stages of learning leading up to the formation of a memory trace. However, we know little about how the brain changes during the transition from the early to the later stages of learning. In this study, we investigated how the activity and the connections between different parts of the brain change during the transition from early to late stages of verbal learning using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found which specific areas of the brain become more active at different stages of learning to memorize a list of words, and we observed widespread changes in the connections between distinct parts of the brain. These changes were also related to how accurately the participants were able to learn. Some of the most important brain areas involved in this process were the right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, the left temporal cortex, the posterior hippocampus, and the globus pallidus. We also found that lasting changes in the connections between different brain areas could be detected when comparing periods of rest before and after learning, particularly in areas such as the temporo-parietal junction, which is involved in internal narration. Overall, our study provides new insights into how the brain changes during verbal learning and helps us better understand this process.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз