Teaching old birds new tricks: Zebra finches defy age-related learning limits
Teaching old birds new tricks: Zebra finches defy age-related learning limits
We all know the adage, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." As we age, our ability to learn new skills, like mastering a foreign language or picking up a musical instrument, seems to fade. The culprit? A decline in brain plasticity—the brain's capacity to rewire itself and adapt to new challenge...
We all know the adage, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." As we age, our ability to learn new skills, like mastering a foreign language or picking up a musical instrument, seems to fade. The culprit? A decline in brain plasticity—the brain's capacity to rewire itself and adapt to new challenges.
The feathered fountain of youth
Vallentin's team focused on zebra finches, songbirds known for their elaborate vocalizations. Like many animals, zebra finches have a critical period for song learning, within their first 90 days of life. After this window closes, their brains become less flexible, and inhibitory neurons put the brakes on further learning.
The researchers wondered if they could they lift this neural blockade and restore the birds' youthful learning ability. Using cutting-edge techniques like optogenetics, they precisely switched off these inhibitory neurons in adult zebra finches.
The results were remarkable. The birds, once thought to be stuck with their existing repertoire, began to add new elements to their songs. "We observed an expansion of the adult animals' vocal repertoire that was previously thought impossible,"
Disinhibition enables vocal repertoire expansion after a critical period