ScienceDaily (Apr. 26, 2012) — They say you can’t teach an old
dog new tricks. Fortunately, this is not always true.
Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN-
KNAW) have now discovered how the adult brain can adapt to new
situations. The Dutch researchers’ findings are published on
April 25 in the journal Neuron. Their study may be significant
in developing treatments of neurodevelopmental disorders. Two
inhibitory synapses (yellow) disappear from the process of a
nerve-cell (red) during learning. (Credit: Image courtesy of
Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience) Ability to learn Our
brain processes information in complex networks of nerve cells.
The cells communicate and excite one another through special
connections, called synapses. Young brains are capable of
forming many new synapses, and they are consequently better at
learning new things. That is why we acquire vital skills —
walking, talking, hearing and seeing — early on in life. The
adult brain stabilises the synapses so that we