Reference: Ramot, A., Taschbach, F.H., Yang, Y.C. et al. Motor learning refines thalamic influence on motor cortex. Nature (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08962-8

« The study shows that learning isn’t just repetition. It’s about your brain literally rewiring itself in a targeted way. Whether you’re learning a new skill, recovering from a stroke or using a neuroprosthetic, understanding how brain regions reorganize their communication helps us design better therapies and technologies that work with the brain’s natural learning mechanisms. »

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Reference: Ramot, A., Taschbach, F.H., Yang, Y.C. et al. Motor learning refines thalamic influence on motor cortex. Nature (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08962-8

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« The study shows that learning isn’t just repetition. It’s about your brain literally rewiring itself in a targeted way. Whether you’re learning a new skill, recovering from a stroke or using a neuroprosthetic, understanding how brain regions reorganize their communication helps us design better therapies and technologies that work with the brain’s natural learning mechanisms. »

How do we learn new things? Neurobiologists using cutting-edge visualization techniques have revealed how changes across our synapses and neurons unfold. The findings depict how information is processed in our brain's circuitry, offering insights for neurological disorders and brain-like AI systems: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ads4706

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>“During learning, these parallel and precise changes are generated by the thalamus activating a specific subset of M1 neurons, which then activate other M1 neurons to generate a learned activity pattern,” said Komiyama, a professor in the Departments of Neurobiology (School of Biological Sciences) and Neurosciences (School of Medicine), with appointments in the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (School of Computing, Information and Data Sciences) and Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind.

Wow so the brain of that animal works in a way that is identical to the way the English language operates. So, there's activation of one layer of neurons and then they interact with the next layer... Wow, that's exactly how words work too.

Holy cow, next somebody is going to tell me that a single neuron can be represented as a single bit, which represents a state.

The original article

Abstract:

The primary motor cortex (M1) is central for the learning and execution of dexterous motor skills, and its superficial layer (layers 2 and 3; hereafter, L2/3) is a key locus of learning-related plasticity. It remains unknown how motor learning shapes the way in which upstream regions activate M1 circuits to execute learned movements. Here, using longitudinal axonal imaging of the main inputs to M1 L2/3 in mice, we show that the motor thalamus is the key input source that encodes learned movements in experts (animals trained for two weeks). We then use optogenetics to identify the subset of M1 L2/3 neurons that are strongly driven by thalamic inputs before and after learning. We find that the thalamic influence on M1 changes with learning, such that the motor thalamus preferentially activates the M1 neurons that encode learned movements in experts. Inactivation of the thalamic inputs to M1 in experts impairs learned movements. Our study shows that motor learning reshapes the thalamic influence on M1 to enable the reliable execution of learned movements.

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Doing puzzles and fun things that require sustained attention can help, you can do mindfulness/grounding exercises to avoid getting lost in daydreams and to help with self regulation,

most interventions for ADHD become more effective when combined with medication though, since ADHD affects your ability to learn, practice and implement skills and strategies.

Trauma does not cause ADHD, trauma can cause similar symptoms, but the root cause for those symptoms is different and they need to be addressed in a different way, I have both PTSD and ADHD, the symptoms looks similar, they can be described using the the same words, but there's a huge difference in how I have to work with those symptoms depending on where they come from.

As a middle aged child of Boomers, I see how hard learning new technology has been for my parents. I'm not sure whether they never developed the skill of learning new technologies (in which case we might have better luck) or if the calcification of learning is an inherent part of aging.

This article doesn't have particular insight on that question, but I keep hoping somebody will.

Not exactly long form, but a useful interview. Thanks for linking!

I didn’t see any mention of adult learning, specifically, in their discussion, but I’m interested enough to check out his book. I switched careers at 45, into a very information heavy field, and I’ve been alarmed at the extra effort I’ve had to put into locking certain vital concepts in. I arrived there on my own, but the author’s suggestion to ask yourself questions/explain things is spot on. 

SS: Q: What's the capital of Australia? In his new book, Learn Better, author and education researcher Ulrich Boser digs into the neuroscience of learning and shows why it’s so hard to remember facts like that one. As we’re all getting dumber in the age of Google, this interview with Boser examines what people can do to boost their memories and skill sets. (A: Canberra.)

The author gave a TedX talk where he covers a number of strategies.

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I've taught pretty much age bracket (elementary, high school, university, adult learners in corporate and even senior citizens).

You're on the right track where neuroplasticity is involved, but imo its a distraction. Trying to min/max learning based on brain science ignores that nature is only half of the equation, nurture and the environment make a huge difference.

My biggest takeaways from my breadth of experience:

• Kids are tethered to the learning environment, so you can use certain strategies that take advantage of their captivity. Adults on the other hand have agency to leave. Your strategies to engage must recognize that. In some cases its making the WIINFM very loud. In other cases its making the content shorter (not my fave). But ultimately, recognizing their agency is key to making the experience better.

• Specific strategies from K12 are still very effective for adults. Most adult learning professionals have only every taught adults, although this is shifting as many K12 practitioners migrate into corporate learning. As someone who has done both, my K12 pedagogy and practice are still very effective with adult learners, provided I remember point #1 above.

• Adults need to feel respected at every stage of the learning. When I work on general programs that are multi-audience (beginners and experts alike need to take it), its helpful to open with a statement that acknowledges that experts are taking this course/experience and that if they see something they know, its a high five and reinforcement of their knowledge, not an invitation to check out.

• Adults carry their baggage from their education experience into their adulthood, which shapes their biases and prejudices for learning. This is a big part of why I'm a supported of healthy K12 practices coming into adult learning (eg. balancing formative and summative assessment, UDL, etc). You can re-write and re-negotiate adult relationships with learning when you create a great experience. Good luck on getting budget to do so though.

I zapped myself lightly a few times changing all the outlets in an old house. Maybe I should take a course in theoretical physics and see if I'm any smarter.

I believe it.

I apprenticed to an electrician who loved to talk math, algebra, trig and calculus. He also loved to touch bare wires and live change outlets and fixtures. Bit of a death wish in there too, obviously, but his math was great! 👍

It might be time to go back to teaching. Where's my taser?

Thanks, but I think I'll pass

Overclocking the brain!

The brain is not like a muscle, it does not improve generally with general practice. Want to get better at math? Then do math problems. However, doing math problems won’t help you with understanding other people’s emotions.

What exactly do you want to get better at? Figure that out and then do as much of that thing as you can.

A consistent mindfullness meditation practice is a workout for your mind and brain, every time you notice you are distracted and bring your attention back to an object of focus (eg. your breath) is another rep.

Research has suggested prefrontal cortex and hippocampus thickening, and reducing of the amygdala from long term meditation practice.

From my own experiences meditating for 10+ years, I've found it makes me able to think much clearer, makes me less reactive emotionally, quicker to laugh and feel joy, less anxious. I notice the difference during periods when I've stopped for a while. I highly recommend.

Sam Harris's Waking Up is a great guided meditation app, that also include loads of really interesting side content about consciousness. They offer a free 6 month scholarship for anyone not able to afford, which is given and renewed with no questions asked.

Actual weightlifting and some good aerobic activity is a great place to start.

Reading a lot, and for extended periods.

Writing a lot, and for extended periods.

Contemplation and meditation

• Dual/Tri/Quad N Back
• Memory games
• Strategy Games
• Language learning
• Shooting video games
• Meditation
• Playing a musical instrument