How Does The Brain Learn?
This post came to me one morning last week as I was thinking about my new hobby. A few weeks ago, I purchased a drum set. I have been wanting to learn an instrument for a couple years now, but never got around to it. While drums was my first choice, guitar seems much more practical. Then I came across a great deal on these drums and the rest is history.
Anyway, I purchased a “Teach Yourself Drums” book to try to learn some foot and hand coordination before I start taking lessons. Each time I practice, I’ll progress as far as I can until it gets to the point that I just can’t get it, call it a night, then come back a day or two later and start again. I step back a couple lessons from where I “failed” the last practice session as a warmup, then proceed through to where I was. And thus far, I’ve noticed that coordination that doesn’t work one night is so much easier the next time.
I got to thinking about the brain learning much like a muscle grows. In the gym, you “tell” your muscles you want them to grow by pushing them hard, then letting them repair the damage to be even stronger. It seems that I’m pushing my brain by saying “Okay, I really need you to play this simple beat,” and while it often doesn’t click right away, sleeping on it allows the brain to put together the connections that I need.
Making New Connections
Science has already proven that the old myth that the brain doesn’t grow new neurons is incorrect. The adult brain is very much still growing and learning, still forming new nerve connections. An obvious example of this is when an area of the brain is damaged such that a specific skill should be impossible, yet the brain reroutes nerve connections and a patient relearns the skill without the “necessary” part of the brain.
In fact, anytime you learn something new, neurons are joining forces to deliver information in new ways. There is a chemical found in the body known as cypin. In the brain, this enzyme helps neurons form new dendrites, the conductors of electrochemical signals throughout the body. And when the neurons are stimulated, they produce more cypin. Basically, give your brain a workout and it’ll reward you by growing additional receptors for passing information along. Further, it’ll remove connections that aren’t filling the bill. It’s like Darwinian evolution on a micro-level.
As for why a drum sequence that completely perplexes my hands and feet one day is perfectly doable the next day, it looks like this process of neuronal growth and pruning takes place very quickly, much like muscular adaptation to a workout:
The research further shows that this process of creation, testing, and reconfiguring of brain circuits takes place on a scale of just hours, suggesting that the brain is evolving considerably even during the course of a single day.
Keeping The Brain Strong
Surely we’ve all seen someone we know “lose their mind” as they age, whether from a disease such as Alzheimer’s or just general forgetfulness. As much as I focus on nutrition and fitness here, it’s equally important to take care of your brain. In fact, without the brain, the body is pretty well useless.
So how do you keep your brain humming along? Well, pretty much anything that forces you to think in new ways is going to give your brain a workout, such as:
- Learning a second (or third or fourth) language
- Learning to play an instrument
- Working crossword or Sudoku puzzles
- Reading a book
- Writing a story or article
And here’s one more thing that helps your brain: exercise of the physical variety. It looks like being fit keeps the brain from undergoing as much age-related shrinkage:
As people age, especially after age 30, these tissues shrink. The study found that the fitter the body, the less shrinkage there was in the areas that control memory and other “thinking” tasks.
Further, exercise increases blood flow to the brain:
Older adults who exercise regularly have increased blood flow and more small blood vessels in the brain, a new study shows.
I might be reaching here, but we all know I like to speculate a bit. Just like your muscles, your brain operates on the “use-it-or-lose-it” principle. However, it seems that you don’t want to focus on any one particular form of brain exercise exclusively, but incorporate several different types of activity. Just as in the gym, doing the same thing over and over isn’t going to achieve the best results. I regularly work crossword puzzles and read (both fiction and non-fiction), along with my new-found hobby of playing the drums (poorly) and writing here.
Who knew that playing the drums would be such a brain workout?
So you eat right and keep your body strong…what are you doing for your brain?
Additional Reading:
70 Ways To Improve Your Brain Power
About Scott
Scott Kustes loves to cook and loves to eat. He started Real Food University to help you get maximum enjoyment out of the meals that you eat. To find out more about how he has rebelled against the fast food culture and counting calories or carbs, join the Real Food Revolution.
18 Reader Comments
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Gee.. thanks Scott. Once my wife reads this, I am going to HAVE to buy her that drum set she has been wanting.
The SoG
Great post Scott! The research in this area is exploding.
Good post Scott … I always enjoy the brain food you serve.
I can feel those new dendrites forming right now!
Hey Scott,
You talk about the process of neural growth and pruning taking only a few hours. Is there an added benefit when those few hours between drum jam sessions is during sleep?
Thanks for the post!
All the Best,
Andrew R
my grandfather worked crossword puzzles every morning until the day he died. he had a terrible diet and diabetes. he also wrote short stories as a hobby. after his stroke he was crippled everywhere…except his brain.
i am not familiar with the science of strokes but i do know that it is centered at the brain. his memory suffered but his intelligence shined. seems as though his experience is a bit of a testimony to this post being legit. Of course, combining the two: balance of good physical exercise/recovery as well as mental exercise/recovery, is everyone’s goal.
great post scott!
zach
I read something about breaking habits or switching things up in your daily life to keep your brain exercised (I think it has something to do with making new brain connections). For example brush your teeth on one leg or use your left hand for more things. Interesting stuff!
Here’s a link (after a quick google)
http://timelesslessons.com/improve-your-brain-power/
If you want a good drum book to use for when you are done with your current one, go get The Funky Primer. It’s cheap ($10), but is awesome for introducing you to ways to evolve drumming past standard beats. The stuff in there is applicable for someone wanting to play songs from James Brown to Pearl Jam. It’s even better if you have a friend who can play bass to jam along to as a lot it deals with syncopation that can lock up with whatever the bass player is playing.
Guess it just goes to show, if you don’t use it you will lose it.
The brain really is a wonderful and amazing thing. Various studies have confirmed what you’ve discovered about sleep aiding the learning process. I was also just reading in Norman Doidge’s book about the way that the brain can adapt to a new skill quite quickly, but then relapses quickly unless we keep practicing that skill.
Martin Walker
http://www.mindsparke.com
am writing this for the sake of a philosophical discussion. The other day I met up with an old friend after many years. It seemed that time and a life of bad habits had really gotten to him. At 27 he wheezed like Darth Vader, and almost filed up two seats. As we chatted away he commented on how lean I was looking, and I laid down in two sentences what my secret was. “HGH-inducing workouts 4-5 times a week, and a low-carbish diet consisting of veggies meats, and yummy fats” He went on to say that such a lifestyle seemed too stressful to follow. He concluded, ” You and I aren’t models, why deprive yourself?” I had no answer. I could tell him about health, wakefulness, longevity, feeling good looking good, but it really seemed like something egotistical at that moment. As we parted I walked around town looking at the people around me, and out of all the scrawny, flabby, or decrepit bodies there were only a handful of fit people, most of them younger than me. It made me wonder, I do not want to ever stop, but why am I doing it? Why take the time to lift weights or sprint? Why get down below 10% bodyfat? Why skip out on french fries and cake? Why look good? I know these seem like obvious questions, but I am trying to answer them from my friend’s perspective. Because in the end, is it not all for the sake of vanity?
One of the primary reasons I do it is for health, but never forget about Patrick Swayze. 56, ripped, pancreatic cancer. We all know many seemingly healthy people who dropped dead from heart attacks and tumors. My uncle ate nothing but boiled fish and veggies for 20 years, but got a heart attack ( though he was skinny fat). Likewise if you look at most centenarians, not many look like Jack LaLanne, some of them don’t even eat that healthy. I would like tpo say that I feel more productive, but when I look at the great achievers, doctors, scientists, businessmen, artists, they are just as out of shape as anyone else. Frankly, I do not think that Andrew Carnegie, Trump, Einstein or Richard Dawkins missed anything because of a lack of a six-pack. I myself am an artist and animator, and when I look at my idols I see that they are out of shape. While one does become attractive to the opposite sex, I remember that the Master Pick Up Artists come in all shapes and sizes, and that personality is much more important than looks. Where I live, I see scrawny and skinny-fat blobs form a reltionship and even abuse beautiful women.Ron Jeremy is a short, fat, bald man with a jewfro but is the top pornstar. In a documentary, his lady co-stars preferred him over most generic bodybuilderish porn actors. As for women, I have seen enormous women get married to good-looking men. I guess there will always be chubby-chasers.
Point being, I love the fact that I stay out of the doctor’s office, and will robably never need prescription medicine. I love looking in the mirror and seeing a nice lean body. But in the end is there really anything more to it? Is looking great really anything special. Moreover is it wrong? In light of the fat-acceptance movement, I would be considered vain, anorexic, and genetically blessed. I get weird looks for leaving out french fries, skipping desert or for ordering salad. By looking better than 90% of people, am I just some sort of elitist? Again, I want to be fit for the rest of my life, I am not knocking health and fitness in any way. I am simply questioning the overall philosophy.
Doing simple math can also help exercise the brain. There’s a great podcast that you can listen to at home while doing chores or while driving. It does a variety of things. It shoots out simple math questions at ya at a faster and faster speed. It makes you imagine things (most of us don’t use our imagination much anymore) and it gives you tips on other ways to exercise your brain as well as what foods are good for the brain. It’s a great great podcast for the brain.
It’s called
BrainReady Braincasts. I suggest everyone check it out!!
SoG, get her the drum set. It’s awesome!
And you’re welcome.
Andrew, no clue about sleep between sessions. From what I’ve seen, sleep is very important in the brain learning new skills, so I’d guess it does help.
Max, good stuff. Thanks for that list. It’s all easy stuff. If you want something that’ll really mess you up, put your wallet in your opposite pocket or wear your watch on the other arm.
Dan, will look into that one. Feet and hands are starting to like working together, though I still have a long way to go in being a decent drummer. Or in even calling myself a drummer for that matter, rather than just being a guy with a set of drums that can maintain some semblance of rhythm.
JE, gonna put together a post on that one soon. Nice discussion and I’m going to use parts of your comment to lead into the post.
Rosita, I’m always doing stupid math things. Adding the numbers on the clock. Definitely going to check out that Braincasts. Sounds like the kind of numbers game that I’ll enjoy.
Cheers
Scott
Great post and a very important one!!!!! So much focus is on working out muscles and not nearly enough on working out the brain. But surly working out the brain is the BEST thing you can do for yourself. No point been body healthy if your mind starts to give way. Really good post. I have had that ‘uh huh’ moment which apparently is a good sign that you have worked out your brain well. So thanks for reminding me to work out my brain and at the same time giving me a brain workout.
SCott, you will find my same comment on other health blogs to let you know. The discussion however is sincere, and just wanted to see everyone’s philosophy.
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[...] Gonzalez left a good comment on my How Does The Brain Learn? post. In the interest of space, I’ve trimmed his comment below to what I find to be the most [...]
[...] Gonzalez left a good comment on my How Does The Brain Learn? post. In the interest of space, I’ve trimmed his comment below to what I find to be the most [...]