SHAFAQNA SCIENCE- A new study attributes the kids’ mental prowess to differences in a brain messenger called GABA.
This study shows that the key behind this ability to rapidly process ABCs and 123s is spelled “GABA.” GABA is the abbreviation for the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid. What they found is a rapid increase in GABA in children, associated with learning.
For the study, the researchers, took a different approach.Using an advanced imaging technique called functional MRS, they measured the concentration of GABA in early visual cortical areas before, during and after learning sessions. They then compared the concentrations between children (ages 8 to 11) and adults (ages 18 to 35).
The results of the experiments suggest that compared with adults, children exhibit more dynamic GABA-associated inhibitory processing, which more rapidly adapts to stabilize learning than in adults, the researchers concluded.
Source: Brown University