[ELI10] Science-Based Mental Training

Overview:

The goal of this document is to explain the Andrew Huberman Podcast and ResearchHub summary of the podcast in a much more approachable way - as if it were explained to a 5-year-old.

Author Credit

This document is a derivative material of the original Podcast Annotation Summary created by Sikandar Shah on Apr 26, 2023, at 7:09 am.

For a detailed version of this content, navigate to https://www.researchhub.com/post/943/science-based-mental-training-visualization-for-improved-learning-huberman-lab-podcast to see Sikandar Shah's rigorous content.

Summaries:

(1): The Power of Pretend Play for Your Brain

Imagine your brain is like a ball of play-dough, and the more you play with it, the more it changes shape. This is what we call neuroplasticity - it's your brain's ability to change and adapt. Now, think about playing pretend, like you're a famous musician or an amazing soccer player. This is called mental training and visualization, and it's like playing with your brain dough in a very special way. Research shows that this pretend play can actually make you better at things like math, music, dancing, and sports, even if you're just imagining it! The trick is, you have to do it in a very specific way, and not just daydream. This kind of play can help your brain adapt and learn new things faster.

Figure 1. Mental training and visualization [1].

1. THE POWER OF VISUALIZATION. 2017; Available from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-visualization-daniel-remon/.

(2): Brain-Dough Changes as You Grow Up

A long time ago, a scientist named Galton started studying how pretend play and visualization can help us learn. He discovered something amazing: our brain-dough changes a lot as we grow up, and this is called developmental plasticity. When we're kids, our brain-dough changes shape just by exploring and experiencing new things. This keeps happening until we're around 25 years old, but it doesn't stop all of a sudden, like on your 25th birthday. It slowly slows down until it stops.

But there's another type of brain-dough change, called adult neuroplasticity, which happens even when we're old. This is when we intentionally try to learn new things or improve our skills. For example, when we're practicing a dance move or a sports technique, we're shaping our brain dough in a specific way to get better at that skill.

Figure 2. Neuroplasticity and neurodevelopment [2].

2. Diniz, C.R.A.F. and A.P. Crestani, The times they are a-changin’: a proposal on how brain flexibility goes beyond the obvious to include the concepts of “upward” and “downward” to neuroplasticity. Molecular Psychiatry, 2023. 28(3): p. 977-992.

(3): Pay Attention and Sleep Well for Better Brain-Dough Shaping

To shape your brain dough well, you need two things: attention and sleep. You need to really focus on what you're trying to learn, even if it makes you feel frustrated. This is a sign that your brain dough is changing shape! Then, you need to have a good night's sleep, especially on the night after you've been learning. It's during this sleep that your brain dough settles into its new shape. If you don't sleep well, it can mess up your brain-dough shaping process. So, remember, focus on learning and then have a good sleep!

Figure 3. Sleeping and neuroplasticity [3].

3. Stee, W. and P. Peigneux, Post-learning micro- and macro-structural neuroplasticity changes with time and sleep. Biochemical Pharmacology, 2021. 191: p. 114369.

(4): Making Stronger and Weaker Connections in Your Brain-Dough

Think about your brain dough being made up of tiny little pieces that connect to each other. These connections can become stronger or weaker, and this is called long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). When you're learning something new, like a dance move or a language, your brain dough needs to make new strong connections (LTP) and weaken the old ones that are not useful (LTD). This process is like shaping your brain dough to become better at a new skill. So, learning is not just about building new connections in your brain-dough, but also about breaking the old ones that you don't need anymore.

Figure 4. Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) and Long-Term Depression (LTD)[4].

4. Long-term synaptic plasticity. Available from: https://qbi.uq.edu.au/brain-basics/brain/brain-physiology/long-term-synaptic-plasticity.

(5): "Superpower 1: Picture It and Practice!"

So, imagine you're asked to close your eyes and think of a yellow block next to a red rose. Then, you imagine flying above them and looking down, then landing behind them to see from a different angle. Scientists found that when people do this, parts of their brain light up in a similar way to if they were really looking at a yellow block and a red rose! This is because our brain can't always tell the difference between something we're imagining and something that's actually happening. This is why if I ask you to imagine petting a fluffy chinchilla, you can almost feel the soft fur, even though there's no chinchilla here!

But here's the trick: it's easier for our brains to imagine simple, quick scenes. If we try to imagine something for too long or if it's too complicated, our brains get tired and it's harder to keep the picture clear in our mind. So, if we want to use this superpower to help us learn new things, we should keep our imaginations short, simple, and practice them over and over.

Figure 5. Motor sequences in learning [5].

5. Dahms, C., et al., The importance of different learning stages for motor sequence learning after stroke. 2020. 41(1): p. 270-286.

(6): "Superpower 2: Imagination Can't Beat Reality"

Two smart scientists, Roger Shepard and Stephen Kosslyn, found something really cool. When we imagine something, our brain takes the same amount of time to "draw" it as if we were looking at the real thing. So, if we imagine a simple shape like a square, our brain can "draw" it really quickly. But if we try to imagine something complicated, like an island with lots of landmarks, our brain takes a bit longer. That's because our brain has to "walk" from one part of the island to another in our imagination, just like we would have to walk in real life!

This means that even though imagining things is a superpower, it can't replace the real world. If we imagine flipping a cube, it takes longer than actually flipping a cube in real life. So, while imagining can help us learn and practice, it's important to also do things in the real world.

Figure 6. Mental images fMRI [6].

6. Bhatt, T., et al., Neural Mechanisms Involved in Mental Imagery of Slip-Perturbation While Walking: A Preliminary fMRI Study. 2018. 12.

(7): "Superpower 3: Mixing Real and Imagined Practice"

Now, let's think about some tricky pictures. You might have seen pictures where it's hard to tell what's in front and what's behind, or pictures that look like two things at once, like a face and a vase. When we look at these pictures, our brain tries to make sense of them, but it can get confused because it can't see both things at the same time.

But if you draw one of these tricky pictures yourself, and then imagine it, your brain gets better at understanding it. This is because when we mix real-world practice (like drawing) with imagining, our brain gets extra good at understanding and learning. So, to use this superpower, you should try to do a mix of real practice and imagining.

Figure 7. Bi-stable images in Mental training [7].

7. Devia, C., M. Concha-Miranda, and E. Rodríguez, Bi-Stable Perception: Self-Coordinating Brain Regions to Make-Up the Mind. 2022.

(8): "Using Real Names for Things in Your Imagination"

Imagine if we think of our brain as play-dough being shaped and molded. The more we work with it, the more we can shape it into whatever we want. Now, think about when you're playing pretend or drawing pictures. It's much easier to imagine and draw things that you're familiar with, like faces or vases, compared to things that are more abstract, like weird shapes that don't exist in real life. That's because your brain has special areas, like little workstations, that are really good at understanding and recognizing faces (it's called the fusiform face area) and 3D objects. It's like having a special play-dough mold just for faces and vases!

Faces are especially important to your brain, kind of like your favorite toy. Unless you're someone who works a lot with 3D objects, like an architect or a sculptor, your brain doesn't have as much room dedicated to understanding them. Some people have trouble recognizing faces, like forgetting who a famous person is. On the other hand, some people are super-recognizers, meaning they're really good at remembering faces, even better than some robots!

The main point is when you give things names that you know from real life, it's easier for you to imagine them in your mind. It's like having a toy or a picture to help you remember what you're imagining. The more real-world practice you have and the more you use your imagination, the better you can make mental pictures. But it's important, to be honest with yourself and make sure your imagination matches up with what's actually happening in real life.

Figure 8. AI Face Recognition [8].

8. Chowdhury, M., What is The Importance of Facial Recognition in Today’s World?

(9): "Imagining Things is Almost Like Seeing Them in Real Life"

Now, let's do a little experiment. Close your eyes and imagine a ceiling with one black tile and one white tile. Did your eyes move upward? That's because when we imagine things above us, our eyes tend to move in that direction, just as if we were really looking at it! Your imagination captures many features of real-life perception, but not all.

Also, if I asked you to imagine an elephant and a mouse standing next to each other, you would know the elephant is bigger than the mouse because you've seen both in real life. If I asked you about the details of the mouse's face, you would need more time to think about it than for a part of the elephant's body. That's because your brain processes bigger items quicker than smaller ones. It's like how it takes longer to make a big play-dough sculpture than a small one!

Figure 9. Mental Imagery and Real-World Perception [9].

9. Dijkstra, N., S.E. Bosch, and M.A.J.v. Gerven, Vividness of Visual Imagery Depends on the Neural Overlap with Perception in Visual Areas. 2017. 37(5): p. 1367-1373.

(10): "Playtime Tips: Short, Simple, and Repeated Games"

Think of your brain like a lump of play-dough. The first rule of shaping it is to keep it short, and simple, and repeat, repeat, repeat! It's like when you're making little shapes with your play-dough. You try to make a shape quickly (like in 5 to 15 seconds), then you repeat it many times (like 50 to 75 times).

Imagine you're playing a quick game in your head, like catching a ball. You can do it three times in 15 seconds. That's called an "epoch". Then, you rest for about 15 seconds before doing it again. It's like taking a break between turns in a game. And just like in a game, it doesn't have to be exact. Maybe you do it a bit faster or slower, but the important part is repeating it over and over again.

If you're good at catching the ball in real life, you'll be even better when you imagine it in your head. And if you want to get better at something new, try to do it as often as you can, both in real life and in your mind. It's like learning a new language, repeating a phrase over and over until you get it right!

(11): "Adding Imagination Play When You Can't Move Much"

You know how some people are really tough and don't give up easily when they're playing a game or sport? That's called "mental toughness". It's been really popular in sports and exercise studies. Some people can't move around much, like if they have a disability or an injury, but they still want to keep their skills sharp. For them, imagining doing the movements (mental training) can be really helpful.

Imagine if you broke your leg and couldn't play soccer for a while. You could still imagine kicking the ball in your mind, and that would help keep your skills sharp without hurting your leg more. But if you can, doing the real thing is even better than just imagining it.

If you practice a skill a lot in real life and then add some imagination play, you'd get really good at it! Doing the real thing is usually better than just imagining it, but if you combine both, you'll get the best of both worlds!

Figure 11. Motor skills development in infants [11].

11. Your Baby’s Development—Get Their Motor (Skills) Running! ; Available from: https://www.similac.com/baby-feeding/development/motor-skills-activities.html.
(12): "The Best Time for Imagination Play and the Importance of Sleep"

Like after a long day of playing, your brain needs rest and sleep to get better at imagination play. You can do both real practice and imagination play on the same day or on different days. But try to get a good night's sleep either the night before or after your imagination plays.

Not getting enough sleep can make you feel grumpy and can even make you feel anxious or down. Sleep is super important! Just like after a day of playing, your body needs sleep to rest and get ready for the next day, your brain needs sleep to get better at the new things you've learned.

Research shows that sleep is really important for learning new things. After practicing something new, you get better at it after a good night's sleep. But it's not just about the first night of sleep, every night of sleep helps you get better at what you learned. So, always make sure to get a good night's rest!

Figure 12. Deep sleep and motor skills [12].

12. Bansal, D.G. Deep Sleep Reinforces the Learning of New Motor Skills. Available from: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2017/08/407981/deep-sleep-reinforces-learning-new-motor-skills.

(13): "Boys vs Girls and Young vs Old in Imagination Games"

When we're playing our imagination games (mental training), we're doing stuff that can make our thinking and feeling better. But guess what? These games can work differently for boys and girls, and for younger and older people.

Some studies found that boys and girls react differently to these games. For example, one study found that when playing a game that helps reduce stress, girls showed more improvement in their mood and stress levels than boys. In another study, girls showed more confidence when playing a game that involved imagining things. Age can also make a difference. For example, older people (like your grandma and grandpa) get better at controlling their thoughts when they play games that involve doing many things at once. But younger people (like you and your friends) do better with games that test their memory. So, when we're making these imagination games, it's important to think about who's playing - their gender and age can make a difference.

(14): "Imagining Yourself in the Game: Inside or Outside View?"

When you're playing imagination games, you can imagine in two ways. You can see yourself from the inside like you're actually doing the action. Or, you can see yourself from the outside, like you're watching yourself in a video. Most of the time, it's better to imagine from the inside, like you're really there doing it.

For example, if you're trying to learn a new skill, like a soccer kick, imagining yourself doing it perfectly with your own eyes can help you learn faster. But sometimes, imagining from the outside, like watching yourself do the kick, can help motivate you to practice more. When you're playing these games, it's usually better to close your eyes and imagine the game in your head. It's like you're inside your own body, doing the action yourself.

Figure 14. Cognitive task in the brain [14].

14. Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA): An Innovative Methodology to Maximizing the Impact of Instructional Design and Training. Available from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cognitive-task-analysis-cta-innovative-methodology-impact-mansour/.

(15): "Your Brain's Play-Dough: Shaping Movement and Skills"

Your brain has a special area, called the primary motor cortex (like a special play-dough shaping tool), that helps you quickly improve your movements and skills. This part is near the front of your brain and helps you move your body parts. Your brain also has a part called the cerebellum, which helps plan and coordinate movements. This part is also involved in thinking and remembering things, like when you're playing imagination games.

Scientists think that a part of the cerebellum can predict what will happen when you move. They tested this by using a special tool that sends magnetic pulses to the brain before and after an imagination game. They found that the game improved the speed and accuracy of finger movements. They also found that the connection between the cerebellum and the primary motor cortex changed, showing that the brain, like play-dough, can change its shape with these games. There's another cool tool called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) that sends repeated magnetic pulses to the brain. Scientists aren't sure exactly how it works yet, but they think it could help with brain diseases. This tool is mostly safe to use, but people with magnetic implants or recent brain or heart problems shouldn't use it. So far, it has shown the most promise in treating depression.

Figure 15. Primary motor cortex [15].

15. Motor cortex. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_cortex.

(16): "Green Light, Red Light: Your Brain in Action"

Imagine playing a game of green light, red light. When someone says "green light," you go, and when they say "red light," you stop. Your brain plays this game when you're doing something, like throwing a ball or drawing a picture. Sometimes, it needs to speed up (go) or slow down (stop). There's a part of your brain, deep inside and underneath, called the basal ganglia, that's like the traffic controller in this game. It helps you remember how to do things (like riding a bike) and make decisions, like choosing between playing outside or finishing your homework first.

Figure 16. Basal Ganglia [16].

16. Sejnowski, T., et al., Prospective Optimization. Proceedings of the IEEE, 2014. 102: p. 799-811.

(17): "The Stop and Go Game: Learning to Wait"

Training can help us get better at stopping and waiting when we need to, especially when we imagine doing it in our head. There's a game scientists use to test this. It's called the Stop-Signal Task. Imagine you're playing a video game. In some levels (go trials), you need to react quickly to something, like a monster popping up. In other levels (stop trials), you're told to wait until a signal, like a bell, rings before you can move. The game gets harder when the bell rings later because you have to stop yourself from moving even though you're ready to go. This game helps scientists understand how well we can control our actions and attention, and it's useful for everyone, not just people who might have trouble with it, like those with ADHD or drug use problems.

Figure 17. Go/No-Go Task [17].

17. Go/No-go task. Available from: https://www.testable.org/experiment-guides/executive-function/go-no-go-task.

(18): "Imagine That! Or Not: Different Ways Our Brains Work"

Some people have a condition called aphantasia, where they can't create pictures in their minds. It's like trying to imagine a unicorn but seeing a blank screen in your head. Even though they can't see pictures in their heads, they can still imagine sounds, tastes, and feelings. This condition is still new to scientists, and they're not sure why it happens. Some people with aphantasia can't imagine any images at all, while others can only imagine a little bit. This can affect how they remember things or solve problems.

There's also something called synesthesia, which is like having superpowers for your senses. People with synesthesia can taste flavors when they see shapes or hear sounds when they see colors. It's like eating a chocolate bar and seeing a big, purple square in your mind. Scientists are still figuring out how these different ways our brains work are connected.

Figure 18. Aphastasia test [18].

18. Aphantasia. Available from: https://twitter.com/Jo_Lumina/status/1628700947563126791.

(19): "Brain Exercise: Getting Better with Practice"

Just like practicing catching a ball makes you a better player, practicing things in your mind makes your brain better at thinking. This is called metaplasticity. Think of your brain as play-dough. Every time you learn something new, it's like squishing and shaping the play-dough in a new way. If you keep shaping the play-dough the same way, it gets easier and faster to do it. This is just like your brain when you practice something a lot.

But remember, just like you need to rest after playing hard, your brain needs rest too. Sleep is really important for your brain to get the most out of this mental exercise. So, to get really good at something, you need to practice it in your mind and in real life, then get plenty of sleep.

Figure 19. Mental training benefits [19].

19. MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS FROM RESISTANCE TRAINING. Available from: https://fitnessfactory.com.sg/2012/03/08/mental-health-benefits-from-resistance-training/.

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[ELI10] Science-Based Mental Training