Biology of Learning

This page was authored by Wilfred Franklin of the Bryn Mawr College Biology department as the first set of activities to an Introductory Biology lab course. It was inspired by the 2002 book, The Art of Changing the Brain, by James E. Zull.

 

 

 

What do we already know about Thinking?

 

What is a thought? .... is it conscious? 

• Develop with your partner a (biological?) definition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Observations on Thoughts

What is this image?

• What does a brain look like doing different tasks

• PET images

 

• Mental Tasks as patterns of connected neurons

• or in other terms:  distinct neuronal networks

 

 

• Brain activity and Sleep    from Basics of Sleep Behavior

 

 

 

 

Summary thus far:

• A thought is a unique pattern of neuronal activity (a particular assembly of active neurons)

• More generally, all brain function is associated with "unique patterns of neuronal activity".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do we already Know about Learning?

 

What is learning? 

• Develop with your partner a definition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some Observations on Memory and Learning

 

Test your ability to memorize the list of words in the trials below. Click each trial then hit "return" on your browser after 5 seconds. Write down as many words as you can recall.

• Click - here - for trial #1

• Click - here - for trial #2

• Click - here - for trial #3

What happened in this memory activity and why?

A conceptual diagram of the trials above -

 

A theory of integration and application versus speed.

• larger networks have more nodes and thus are more likely to be triggered in a variety of contexts - integrating knowledge making it available for alternative applications.

• larger networks often are slower, due to physical constraints. The fastest nerve impluse is the Giant Squid axon? ...but not much flexibility?

 

 

 

So what is learning?

Hebbian learning - image 1 -

 

Other Definitions:

O.E.D 

More on Memory and the Brain:

Summary from Dr. Bruce Graham of the Unviersity of Stirling, UK. (His Home page)

 

 

 

Summary thus far:

Thoughts:

 

Learning:

• At a mechanistic level, learning can be thought of as persistent synaptic modifications.
  

• That is to say the strengthening, inhibiting, rewiring or even creation of different patterns of neuronal activity.
  

• implicit in this: learning must start with pre-existing, individual mental states.

 

 

 

 

Emotions and Learning

 

What is an emotion? 

• Develop with your partner a definition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some Observations on Emotions

 

What is it about Posttraumatic Stress Disorder that creates unforgettable memories?

Why are our happiest moments like our first kiss hard to forget?

• These rhetorical questions imply that abundant antidotal evidences exist demonstrating the power of emotion to create lasting memories even if we wish to forget.

• The mechanisms by which emotions affect memory are not well understood. However, the evidence overwhelmingly suggests a direct relationship between emotional content of an experience and the ability to remember the event.

What are emotions?

• fMRI and various emotions

• Limbic System Diagram

• oxytocin, fear and brain activity

• genetics, serotonin and fear

Enlarging Networks and Building Connections                                                          

• Acetylcholine and Neuronal branching
  

• Linking Brain Regions:  DTI image overlay on MRI  and  DTI showing brain interconnectivity
  

• diagram of connections

For more on cognitive processes and emotions see:

Regions of the Brain associated with Emotions

The Feeling of What Happens by Antonio Damasio

The Mind Wide Open by Steven Johnson

 

 

 

 

 

Summary thus far:

Thoughts:

Learning:

 

Emotions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merging Education Theory with Neurobiology

 

• The Kolb's Learning Cycle describes a highly effect method for "deep learning".

•  memorizing to learn versus memory emerging out of the learning process

 

• Brain structure and function has a provocative connection to the Learning Cycle.

 

• Perhaps the Learning Cycle is effective because it incorporates many parts of the brain thereby enlarging neuronal networks associated with any particular experience (even more so in the experience is emotionally engaging).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Deduction, the Scientific Method (Inquiry) is the "Best" way to Learn:

 

The Scientific Method also has an interesting link to Brain structure and function. 

 

Logical Deduction:

 

Major Premise: Completing the Learning Cycle is the most effective way to learn.

1^st  Minor Premise: The Learning Cycle emerges from Brain structure and function.

2^nd  Minor Premise: The Scientific Method also emerges from Brain structure and function.

 

Conclusion: The Scientific Method (Inquiry) is the "Best" way to learn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary

• Thoughts/Ideas/Thinking:

• Thought is a unique pattern of neuronal activity (a particular assembly of active neurons) that represents concrete experience.  It can be about non-concrete abstraction, but most cognitive biologist would argue that abstraction is ultimately derived from more primary thoughts of sensory input.  Therefore, thoughts both unconscious and conscious, concrete and abstract are biologically grounded in the concept of "unique patterns of neuronal activity". More generally, all brain function is associated with "unique patterns of neuronal activity".

• Concrete experience can be internal to the brain, as the nervous system not only monitors/senses the external environment, it also monitors/senses the body and the brain itself.

• For more on this topic see:

• Learning:

• At a mechanistic level, learning can be thought of as persistent synaptic modifications.  That is to say the strengthening, inhibiting, rewiring or even creation of different patterns of neuronal activity.  These new patterns result in a change in the nervous system that is at the foundation of all new thoughts, behaviors, feelings and intuitions. 

• Practice, repetition and rehearsal helps to strengthen connections -  per Hebb's rule, but has limitations due to habituation and other nervous system characteristics.

• Larger, more connected neuronal networks are believed to result in faster, easier recall and are more persistent. (More connections means higher probability of activity and activation of connected neurons, means stronger connections, means lower thresholds of activation, means a positive feedback loop resulting in the reinforcement of the synaptic modifications).

• Therefore, engaging fully and often in all four parts of the learning cycle  corresponds to using more parts of the brain and results in deep lasting changes in the brain that are easier to recall.

• The scientific method of looping between observing, reflecting, hypothesizing and testing mirrors the learning cycle which in turn reflects the structure and function of the brain.

• Emotional content increases recall and persistence of memories. Highly emotional events flush parts of the brain with the neurotransmitter, Acetylcholine, which has been shown (in vitro) to increase branching and synaptic connections in some neurons.

• Emotions may serve to enlarge neural networks because of the vast neural bundles connecting ancestral brain regions (limbic system) with the more derived brain regions (neocortex).

• Learning is change, thus must build on previous knowledge.

• All of this is preliminary and simply my model of the brain and learning given the current literature.

• For more on the brain, learning and education see
  
  
  • http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/education/brain.html

 

 

 

 

Assignment

Please post in your own words the answers to the following questions in your "Assignment Blog" on Blackboard.

1. What is a thought? What if any, is the difference between concious and unconcious thoughts? 
2. What is learning? What role if any, does memory play?...emotions?
3. Look over the web site on Kolb's Learning Stlyes and explain with examples which style best describes your learning style.
4. Given your learning style, identify which part of the scientific method (testing, sensing, reflecting, theorizing) will give you the most difficulty.

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