• Motor learning physically reshapes brain circuits in mice, particularly the thalamocortical pathway, enhancing communication between the thalamus and motor cortex.
• The learning process involves selectively activating specific neurons while suppressing unrelated ones, optimizing brain function for newly acquired motor skills.
• These findings offer insights into potential therapeutic interventions for neurological disorders that impair motor skills and learning, such as stroke recovery or neuroprosthetic use.

Two new studies explore the dynamic changes that occur in the brain during learning, specifically focusing on motor skills. One study details a new technique, EPSILON, to map the molecular underpinnings of memory formation, while the other identifies that learning refines the thalamocortical pathway by physically rewiring connections between the thalamus and motor cortex. Both highlight how the brain adapts and reorganizes itself through synaptic plasticity and neural circuit modification, potentially paving the way for new treatments for neurological disorders.

• What: Researchers have discovered that learning physically rewires connections between brain regions, particularly the thalamocortical pathway, which connects the thalamus and motor cortex. They've also developed new techniques, EPSILON and ShaReD, to map and analyze these changes.
• Who: Adam Cohen's team at Harvard developed EPSILON. Takaki Komiyama's lab at UC San Diego led the research on thalamocortical pathway rewiring, with contributions from Assaf Ramot, Marcus Benna, and Felix Taschbach.
• When: The Harvard research was published in Nature Neuroscience. The UC San Diego research was published in Nature on May 7, 2025. The Nature article was published on 07 May 2025.
• Where: The Harvard research was conducted at Harvard University. The UC San Diego research was conducted at the University of California San Diego.

The convergence of these studies provides a deeper understanding of brain plasticity during learning. The Harvard study introduces a powerful new tool (EPSILON) for investigating the molecular mechanisms of memory formation, while the UC San Diego study reveals the physical rewiring of brain connections involved in motor learning. These findings not only advance our knowledge of how the brain learns but also offer potential therapeutic targets for neurological disorders. The use of advanced imaging and data analysis techniques like ShaReD represents a significant methodological advancement in neuroscience.

This technique provides a lens into the synaptic architecture of memory, something previously unattainable in such detail.

Learning doesn’t just change what the brain does — it changes how the brain is wired to do it.

Our findings show that learning goes beyond local changes — it reshapes the communication between brain regions, making it faster, stronger and more precise.

Our study shows that motor learning reshapes the thalamic influence on M1 to enable the reliable execution of learned movements.

Recent research underscores the brain's remarkable ability to physically adapt and reorganize itself during learning. By identifying key pathways and developing innovative techniques to map these changes, scientists are paving the way for targeted interventions to improve motor skills and cognitive function. These discoveries offer hope for individuals with neurological disorders and highlight the importance of continued research into brain plasticity.