The Brain “frees Itself ” Of What Is Useless Or Superfluous

Forgetting to learn, eliminating what is not needed to make room for useful and important things. Strange as it may seem, the brain performs complicated recycling functions when we sleep or meditate, and it does so to “cleanse itself”, to weed out and allow neuronal connections, useful thoughts and important learning to flourish.

Arthur Conan Doyle, in his novel A Study in Red , describes how John Watson is pleasantly surprised whenever he discovers something mysterious about his quirky new roommate. Sherlock Holmes did not know that the earth revolved around the sun. Now, the famous detective expresses his reasoning as to why he forgets this and a whole series of data that for most people are evident.

A person’s brain, explains Holmes, is like an empty attic in which to put the furniture you prefer. Foolish people fill this space with a whole series of colorful objects that they find day after day. Little by little, there is no room left for useful things. However, the skilled craftsman pays close attention to what he puts in the attic of the brain: he only makes room for the things he deems useful to do his job.

Almost without knowing it, Conan Doyle, in his introduction to A Study in Red , highlighted a basic principle related to the internal economy of the brain, whereby this organ chooses which food synapses and which to destroy. It does so on the basis of our lifestyle, our interests and learning, our experiences. 

Neurologists metaphorically claim that we are equipped with a “delete” button that allows us to save space, to eliminate what is not useful to build new and stronger connections with which to consolidate meaningful information. It is a process that we can intervene in some way, however curious it may seem. We explain how .

In the brain, “learning” also means “destroying”

Many of us are convinced that the more synaptic connections in the brain, the better. We tell ourselves that this is why we consolidate more information, more attitudes, more skills, more data, more knowledge … However, Sherlock Holmes’ theory continues to be valid: the brain is not an empty attic or attic where to accumulate things. useless, randomly and en masse.

The brain is a sophisticated organ that likes to economise and specialize in skills and abilities that conform to its owner. Let’s take an example: we decided to learn to play the piano, we like it and we plan to have an hour of lessons a week. In this case, the impact on our brain will be minimal. If, on the other hand, we take it more seriously and start practicing every day, wonderful things will happen!

One of these is the so-called “synaptic pruning”, in other words, to create new synapses and new circuits in music learning, the brain first eliminates old neuronal connections that are no longer needed. It needs space and to build new paths, new connections and unravel cables for a “new” energy to flow.

To better understand this concept, let’s imagine the brain as a garden. In place of flowers, synaptic connections grow between neurons, pathways crossed by neurotransmitters such as dopamine or serotonin. Now, in order for these new structures to bloom, you must first weed out, harvest and remove old leaves to make room. Microglia are the real brain “gardener”, magical entities to which we owe our ability to consolidate new information and data. A wonderful thing, in fact.

Sleeping or meditating: two strategies to help the brain eliminate what is not needed

We know that our learning ability in many cases transcends biology itself. One thing that many ignore, however, is that we need to sleep to properly consolidate new knowledge. Neurologists believe that a sleep-deprived brain is like a wild forest that is impossible to navigate: a chaotic, suffocating, dark, and too dense mixture.

To break new ground, clear the path and make room for it, we need deep, restorative sleep. It is at this point that the glymphatic system comes into action : it has the task of eliminating waste substances, residues and all dead cells resulting from “synaptic pruning”. On the other hand, it must also be said that a short rest of 15 minutes in the middle of the day or even 20 minutes of deep meditation are very useful in this sense, to make room for new neuronal connections.

In conclusion, neuropsychologists remind us that sometimes the simple fact of stopping focusing attention on a certain aspect or “breaking” the cycle of obsessive thoughts on a single subject or person allows us to “deactivate” those synapses and make it less powerful. It is as if we pressed the “cancel” button, making the attic of our brain a more comfortable, spacious and more in tune with our needs.

An interesting topic that is undoubtedly worth considering.