Oregon State University Corvallis OR May 1, 2009 Brain plasticity dimensions of learning and education Michael M. Merzenich, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus University of California at San Francisco Chief Scientific Officer Posit Science Corporation (San Francisco) Scientific Learning Corporation (Oakland) Brain plasticity….. ….. a powerful, under-utilized, life-long personal resource Epoch 1: YOU began to create yourSELF in an early “critical period” of brain development. The brain’s task: 1. to create a model of the world into which it just happens to have been born; and 2. to learn how to control the actions required to survive/thrive in that world. Epoch 2: An older brain CONTROLS its own plasticity, as it masters skill after skill. 7 tenets of “adult” cortical plasticity 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Plasticity occurs ONLY when the brain is in the mood for change. WHAT changes are the strengths of connections (synapses) for inputs that are excited together, for each successive moment, in time. The connections of between sources of activity that regularly occur NEXT to one another in serial time are also selectively strengthened. Initial changes are temporary. If the brain judges the experience to be inherently fascinating or novel, or if the behavioral outcome is a good (or bad) one, they THEN become permanent. The harder we try, the more we are motivated, the more alert we are, and the better (worse) the outcome, the GREATER the brain change. MEMORY is crucial for learning. Brain plasticity is a two-way (REVERSIBLE) street. It is just as easy (and natural) to generate negative changes as it is to generate positive changes. Progressive experience-/learning-induced plasticity has created……………. YOU Billions of learned associations between a growing “self” and ITS unique world underlie its genesis -and its continuous, inexorable revision. Overcoming developmental impairments as juveniles/adults Training-induced recovery from ‘negative’ plastic changes arising from abnormal development, or from changes in normal aging. What developmental deficits (not directly attributable to inherited faults) are NOT ‘correctible’? Zhou, Merzenich et al, 2008a, PNAS; also see Bao, Merzenich et al, 2004, PNAS; Zhou & Merzenich, Nat Neurosci 2008 Rat Rehab Overcoming age-related functional losses At least most physical and functional limitations arising through the course of normal aging are correctible (reversible). Many positive brain changes result from training a) Sharp and strong brain representations – rain ACCURACY -- is restored. b) Brain SPEED is restored. c) INHIBITORY POWER & SELECTIVITY are restored. e) LEARNING rates are restored. g) Trophic factors supporting PHYSICAL BRAIN HEALTH are restored. i) MEMORY is recovered. j) NOISE IMMUNITY is restored. k) Important PHYSICAL CHANGES are overcome. k) INDEPENDENCE & LONGEVITY are extended. YOUNG OLD OLD, TRAINED A question: What is NOT reversible? Crucial steps toward developing training strategies for neurological ‘improvement’ or ‘correction’ A) To determine the neurological origins of behavioral deficits ……. And with that understanding, B) To develop brain plasticity-based strategies designed --- to the extent possible --- to overcome them. Our primary targets: Struggling school-aged children Functional loss in normal aging Pathological aging (MCI; Alzheimers) Psychotic illness (schizophrenia; bipolar disorder, depression; anxiety; et alia) Brain infections and other causes of diffuse brain trauma Traumatic brain injury, stroke Acquired movement disorders (e.g. Parkinsons) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Summarizing impacts from child training: 1.5+ million children have been trained Focus on language, reading, cognition Approximately 15-17 total hours of training/module (e.g., Fast ForWord LTP) Scientifically documented benefits The state achievement test scores for most kids move, relative to other kids in their school or state. (see www.scientificlearning.com) Training changes brains. To hear more about this subject, tune in to “The New Science of Learning. Brain Fitness for Kids” – to be aired over the next several weeks on most national PBS stations. Cases (ordered by chronological age) TOLD Language Age I:2 & P:2 combined Pre- to Post-Training Change (n=96) ••• • ••• • ••• • • •• • • •• • • •• • • ••• • • ••• • • • •• • •• • • •• • • •• • • •• • • • • •• • • •• • • ••• • • • • 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 •• • • • •• • • ••• • • •• •• • = Chronological age of each child 11 Language Age (years) 12 13 TOLD Quotients (I:2 & P:2 combined) Pre- vs. Post-Training Scores BELOW AVERAGE AVERAGE Median SPOKEN LANGUAGE Listening Speaking Pre-Training Semantics Post-Training Syntax Phonology 80 85 90 95 100 Quotient Value 105 110 Reading achievement and Fast ForWord in a Texas school district (Gates-MacGinitie test) Participant Group (Fast ForWord) Comparison Group (No Fast ForWord) 6.0 5.5 Grade Equivalent Reading gains are enabled by listening training. 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 0.5 0.0 Reading Before After 8 - 12 Weeks After Mean Grade Level Neurological impacts (reading) Brain Areas Critical For Reading Normal reader Dyslexic, before training Dyslexic, after training Similar neurological corrections are recorded for language, memory, attentional and other abilities. Temple et al., PNAS 2003; Raab, Temple et al., 2008 Is it possible to improve the brain-power for the young people in your classrooms? “Normal Adults”: “Users” of mastered (automatic) skills and abilities. ‘Healthy’ people on the decline (probably) just like you! Age-Related Cognitive Decline---A pervasive feature of aging Effect of Age on Various Aspects of Mental Function Z-score for composite “professionals” Affects virtually all mental abilities 1 knowledge .5 Begins in the 20’s & 30’s; continues throughout life 0 accuracy, speed, memory reasoning fluency……..et alia -.5 -1 -1.5 20 40 60 80 Chronological age Adapted from studies conducted by University of Virginia professor Timothy Salthouse. People in their 70’s are in the bottom 20%, relative to people in their 20’s In aural speech, & language, older individuals have • Degraded receptive abilities – accuracy – at speed • Degraded aural speech memory • Low ‘processing efficiency’ • Decline in verbal accuracy, fluency Special problems apply for vision – e.g., the reduction of your “useful field of view” When we’re young, we have an ear-to-ear view of the world, in high-definition… Alas, when we’re older…… What accounts for these changes in your abilities as you grow older? Why do we lose it? We don’t “practice” enough (or in the right ways)… … and we have inadequate schedules of NEW learning. Any (every) brain can be strengthened (protected from loss) at any age. Documented gains achieved with training at the ‘brain gym’: Brain ‘speed’ listening 2x vision 2x everyday skills 2x efficiency, fluency Automobile driving frequency/distances confidence license retention Automobile driving safety Memory/cognition listening, language vision 11+yrs Learning rates Attentional/executive control Health physical mental Maintained independence Longevity See www.positscience.com for scientific references What else could/should you be doing, to assure better brain health at an older age? 1. Challenging, continual new skill learning 2. Re-engage with the details of your world (your ‘senses’). 3. Adopt a regular regimen of physical exercise/ activity. 4. Feed your brain & body with what they require to sustain their health & vigor. 5. GROW the person that you are (with a steady diet of new experiences, and through continuing education --- ala KQED). For more information: See www.PositScience.com and www.brainconnection.com for more information about this science or these training programs. See my blog site (www.onthebrain.com) for more information about the application of brain plasticity science to address human problems – and for a consideration of the societal implications of brain plasticity science -discussed from my personal perspective. Please contact me (merz@phy.ucsf.edu) if you have questions.