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Proof That Practice Does Make Perfect

Posted by Soulskill on from the its-just-like-falling-off-a-bike dept.

eldavojohn sends us an article about a discovery by Carnegie Mellon researchers that explains why repetitive studying or training is effective. Previous research had suggested the opposite, which ran counter to nearly everyone's personal experience. Scientists hope that this information will help us to learn more about diseases which affect the memory, such as Alzheimer's. From the article: "In a series of experiments the researchers blocked different receptors, including NMDA, to see the receptors' effect on long-term neural stimulation. They found that while the NMDA receptor is required to begin neural strengthening, a second neurotransmitter receptor -- the metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor -- comes into play after this first phase of cellular learning. ...blocking mGlu receptors caused strengthening to stop."

7 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. I can't believe I am doing this. by calebt3 · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    First post?

    1. Re:I can't believe I am doing this. by calebt3 · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Wonderful. "Check for More" simply wasn't doing anything. I'm going to bed...

  2. Re:Explain then... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    You think that's difficult, try bringing enlightenment to a troll.

  3. Carnegie Mellon? by niceone · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Is there a typo in the summary? I thought the joke was: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice.

    --
    ccalam - acoustic versions of new songs.
  4. Re:Explain then... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    What the hell? This post isn't funny. If you agree with it, why not just mod it insightful?

  5. So... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Why doesn't this apply to windows releases?

  6. Re:Explain then... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Don't insult monkeys; at least monkeys can be trained.