Table 2.

Neuroscience Learning Concepts Relevant to the Education Community

	Neuroscience Learning Concept	Connection to Neuroscience Core Concepts
A	Learning strengthens a set of electrical and chemical events at the level of individual neurons which, over time, result in functional associations distributed throughout the brain. The act of remembering opens up this synaptic set for further plasticity.	Core Concepts 2 & 4
B	Behaviors, thoughts and memories result from activation of different sets of associated synapses and neural pathways. Partial activation of a synaptic set subserving a specific memory can result in reconstruction of that memory with reasonable but variable fidelity.	Core Concepts 1 - 6
C	Synaptic pathways are loosely grouped into sensory, motor, emotive, homeostatic, attentional and decision-making systems, among others, within the central nervous system.	Core Concepts 3, 5 & 7
D	Experiences during early childhood development in conjunction with genetically determined development shape these pathways. They continue to change throughout life in response to every interaction. Mastery involves changing the brain system used for executing a task from deliberative to automatic through rehearsal, application and self evaluation.	Core Concepts 3 & 4
E	Repeated behaviors or salient experiences influence synaptic and circuit development more than single or irrelevant ones. Only experiences with an emotional stamp become committed to memory; decisions require operational emotional circuits.	Core Concepts 2, 3, 4 & 5
F	Because there are so many neurons (>100,000,000,000) and so many more synapses (~1,000,000,000,000,000) in the human brain, the activation patterns producing similar behaviors in different brains can be largely comparable yet decidedly unique and individual.	Core Concepts 1, 2 & 4
G	Physiological status, e.g. nutritional and hormonal state, stress, availability of oxygen at high altitudes and adequate sleep, will influence one's ability to learn, remember and make appropriate decisions. Emotional status implies a specific physiological state.	Core Concepts 3, 4
H	The complexity of the nervous system endows us with powerful reasoning and communication skills and curiosity about ourselves and our environment. Structured learning environments provide opportunities for building these skill sets.	Core Concepts 5-8