Neuroplasticity: Brain adaptation as the key to never stop learning
- Andreas Schwaab
- Neuro
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
Brain cells communicate through electrical signals [1]. However, it is less commonly known that neurons can rewire themselves, forming new connections and discarding old ones – a process known as neuroplasticity [2]. Therefore, it is neuroscientifically possible to train your brain and acquire new motor skills (i.e. the ability to perform new movements or sequences thereof) or improve memory, focus, or coordination well into adulthood [3]. This ability declines with age, which is why it becomes harder as an adult to learn new things, but it is not impossible and “simply” requires more discipline than it does for children [4].
Neurons that fire together wire together
Neurons that are activated together in close proximity and are oftentimes even connected to each other can be considered as “firing together”. So what does it mean when neurons also “wire together”? For example: When we do a certain movement throughout our human development repeatedly, the connection of the neurons that fire together grows and their insulation is fortified, thus making this connection faster and more efficient [2].
From a brain development point of view, we have much more connections between neurons as infants than we do as adults [5]. However, a vast majority of them are inefficient. As we get older and certain neurons start firing together, their connections strengthen while we lose the unused connections that we had before maturing. Throughout this process, our brain develops as efficiently as possible. Research in mice has shown that even an hour after learning a new motor skill, new connections start building on neurons, permanently rewiring and stabilizing with continued training [6]. This adaptive capability persists well into adulthood, challenging the widespread belief that the brain’s plasticity is limited to youth [7].
Maximum efficiency: How injuries affect neuroplasticity
Just as neurons are naturally created, they also naturally die throughout a human’s life [8]. In addition to brain injuries, physical injuries that prevent certain movements over time can weaken existing synaptic connections. This disruption means that even after full physical recovery, the affected movement may no longer be as automatic or fluid as it was pre-injury [9]. Research indicates that after severe knee surgery due to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, the primary motor cortex exhibits heightened activation when participants engage their quadriceps compared to healthy individuals [10]. This increased activity in the brain region primarily responsible for controlling movement reflects a reduction in movement automatism, as more neural resources are required to initiate the same motor actions. Additionally, brain regions involved in integrating sensory input also display heightened activation, suggesting that injuries trigger widespread neural adaptations across different areas of the brain. These brain changes highlight the complexity of regaining the fluid, automatic movements that were present prior to the injury. To preserve these connections during recovery, maintaining neural engagement is essential. One effective approach is motor imagery, where athletes watch others perform the movement and visualize themselves doing it [11]. This practice activates similar neural pathways as actual movement, helping to maintain communication within these networks and supporting smoother reintegration post-injury [12].
Neuroplasticity in Sports
A common belief in professional sports is that established athletes are unable to change their playing style once they reach a certain age. However, what is considered “old” in sports, such as being in one’s thirties, is still relatively young from a lifespan perspective. At this stage, the brain is fully capable of developing new or adapted neural networks to support newly acquired motor skills. Research on adults aged 18 to 30 shows a consistent, positive link between chronic physical activity and the ability to learn new upper limb motor skills [13]. Even in older adults, aged 60 to 94, the relationship, though less strong, remains positive. Therefore, being in your thirties and regularly engaging in sports can greatly facilitate the learning of new motor skills. Researchers have suggested that it takes three to five months of consistent repetition for a new movement to become automatic [14]. During this time you undergo different phases of learning. In the first couple of days you will most likely activate more muscle groups and more areas of your brain than needed, thus leading to unnecessary movements. With time, your quality and smoothness of movement will improve drastically and the irrelevant movements slowly disappear while the neurons that are responsible for the necessary movements gradually build and strengthen their connections. After three to five months the movement becomes automatic, but this automatism will most likely never be perfect and susceptible to failure (e.g. when fatigued or under great stress). Hence, making mistakes after years of perfecting a skill is nothing unusual and a normal human trait, which you should keep in mind to not get overly frustrated about yourself.
Our advice: Try new things that demand novel cognitive skills than the ones you have up to now. Apps and games such as “Luminosity” or “Tetris” can be a playful way to learn about your own learning curve. Other options are to re-start with something that you did when you were younger, such as playing an instrument or even rope skipping.
#trainyourbrain
If this article sparked your interest and you would like to know more about this or other topics, please do not hesitate to contact us via info@neuro11.de. We look forward to hearing from you.
References
[1] Boston University article: Link
[2] “Neuroplasticity” Wikipedia: Link
[3] “Activity-dependent plasticity” Wikipedia: Link
[4] Ageing Research Reviews article: Link
[5] Brainesty article: Link
[6] Nature article: Link
[7] Bulletin article: Link
[8] ScienceDirect article: Link
[9] Indian Journal of Orthopaedics article: Link
[10] Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy article: Link
[11] Journal of Physiology-Paris article: Link
[12] Frontiers in System Neuroscience article: Link
[13] European Review of Aging and Physical Activity article: Link
[14] “Biophysical Foundation of Human Movement” book: Link
