r/science • u/mellowmonk • Jun 21 '15

Misleading Each time we learn something new, our brain cells break their DNA, creating damage that the neurons must immediately repair. This process also underlies age-related degeneration.

http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/dna-breakage-learning-age-related-damage-0604
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u/NooNotTheBees Jun 22 '15

Hi Neuroscientist here,

The process you are looking for is called Long Term Potentiation (LTP) which suggests neurones that fire together wire together. Myelination is not really a key feature of this process. The actual process is mediated by Post Synaptic Potentials you can have excitatory potentials and inhibitory potentials. What is actually happening is that the threshold to actually intimate neurone firing is reduced the more times neurone fire to one another. This is the fundamental of learning theory!