We are excited to highlight a ground-breaking study co-authored by our colleague Pablo Maceira-Elvira from the Wyss Center, along with Traian Popa, Anne-Christine Schmid, Andéol Cadic-Melchior, Henning Müller, Roger Schaer, Leonardo G. Cohen, and Friedhelm C. Hummel, recently published in npj Science of Learning.

Title: Native learning ability and not age determines the effects of brain stimulation

Introduction: As we age, maintaining cognitive and motor functions becomes increasingly challenging, impacting our independence and quality of life. Brain stimulation has emerged as a promising tool to enhance these functions, but its effectiveness varies widely among individuals. This study delves into the factors that influence the success of brain stimulation, revealing that an individual’s native learning ability, rather than their age, plays a crucial role.

Key Findings: The researchers developed a method to predict who is likely to benefit from brain stimulation based on baseline performance in a sequential motor task. Their results show that individuals with less efficient learning mechanisms benefit significantly from stimulation, while those with optimal learning strategies experience little to no benefit, and in some cases, detrimental effects. These findings were first identified in a public dataset and successfully replicated in an independent cohort, underscoring the robustness of the results.

Implications: This research marks a significant step towards personalized clinical interventions, tailoring brain stimulation treatments to individual learning abilities rather than age. By understanding the underlying learning mechanisms, we can better target brain stimulation therapies to those who will benefit the most, potentially transforming the quality of life for many older adults.

Conclusion: This work is paving the way for more effective and personalized brain stimulation treatments. Their findings challenge the conventional wisdom that age is the primary determinant of cognitive and motor function decline, offering new hope for interventions that can enhance life quality in our aging population.

We celebrate this remarkable achievement and continue to support innovative research that pushes the boundaries of our understanding and capabilities.

For more details, you can read the full press release from EPFL here.