This innovative approach provides detailed insights into the neural activity associated with learned movements across various animals.

To further understand these mechanisms, the research team, led by Professor Takaki Komiyama, developed a new data analysis method called ShaReD (Shared Representation Discovery), which identifies common neural representations across different subjects.

ShaReD allows researchers to combine data from multiple experiments, facilitating discoveries that would be impossible with limited data from individual subjects.

Recent research from the University of California San Diego has revealed that learning physically rewires brain connections, enhancing communication between different brain regions.

The study demonstrated that during the learning process, the thalamus activates specific motor cortex neurons while inhibiting others not involved in the new movement, refining the neural circuitry related to motor tasks.

This study builds upon previous research from the Komiyama lab that explored synaptic mechanisms and neuron behavior rules during learning, further advancing knowledge of neural circuit development.

Lead author Assaf Ramot emphasized that learning reshapes not only brain activity but also the wiring of brain circuits, making them faster and more precise in performing tasks.

The study is dedicated to An Wu, a talented assistant project scientist in Komiyama's lab, who tragically passed away in a fire in 2023, honoring her significant contributions to neuroscience.

This discovery is particularly significant as previous research lacked concrete evidence on how brain cells interact during the learning process.