Mice learn new skills faster than previously thought

New research reveals how the brain learns from mistakes, showing that animals can pick up new skills faster than previously thought. Scientists studied mouse brain activity and found that learning could happen in just 20 to 40 attempts. Interestingly, this learning occurs in the sensory cortex, an area usually linked to sensing rather than thinking. Even after the mice learned a task, they still made mistakes, suggesting they were exploring their understanding. The study from Johns Hopkins University changes our understanding of learning speed and brain function. It indicates that the sensory cortex is not just for processing senses but also plays an important role in how associations are made. Researchers found that mice learned to respond to different sounds by licking. They were surprised to discover how quickly the mice learned and that the sensory cortex was involved in this process. This suggests that the brain is more complex than previously recognized. The team confirmed that when mice made errors, it wasn't simply a lack of knowledge. Instead, the mice were testing their knowledge. Once they mastered a task, their brain activity shifted, showing that learning and performance can be different processes in the brain. The findings suggest that animals, including humans, may have more knowledge than they show. The researchers believe this research will help further understand how animals and humans learn.