Every time we learn something of consequence, we change our brains a little bit. Learning involves physical alterations in neurons and in the synapses that link them together. These minute structural changes in individual neurons underlie broader changes in the functional organization of the brain.

Learning induces the formation of new synapses, and this in turn seems to make neurons more efficient or more powerful. Practicing something repeatedly is an effective way to learn something because it involves repeated activation of the same neural pathways, which become stronger and more efficient each time.

Metaphorically, learning could be compared to forging a new path through a thicketed wood. Each time the same path is used, it becomes clearer and more easily navigated. If used enough, the path can become a permanent addition to the landscape. The same principle holds true for neural pathways when we practice something repeatedly, such as when learning a musical instrument.

Over the course of a lifetime, learning and life experiences create a rich network of circuits uniquely fine-tuned to each individual. Learning literally shapes and reshapes the brain in this way.

每當我們學習新事物時,大腦都會有所改變,學習的過程會改變大腦神經元(Neurons)及它們之間的突觸(Synapses),這些單個神經元的微小變化,造就了整個大腦功能的更大轉變。學習過程可產生新的突觸,提升神經元運作的效率。當我們重復練習時,會不斷刺激相同的神經元,加強它們之間的連接,讓整個過程變得更快、更順。由此可見,重復練習是有效的學習方法。

 我們可以將學習比喻為在草木扶疏的叢林另闢新徑,每多走一次,小徑就變得更廣闊、更明顯,而長期使用後,最終便會成爲一條永久的通道。同樣的道理,神經元的連接由於我們不斷重復的練習,變得更強、更有效,就像我們學習樂器一樣。

 每個人的一生,學習及生活經驗都會慢慢累積成他獨有的大腦網絡。在改變甚至加強大腦能力這方面,學習扮演著重要的角色。