Hebbian plasticity is not just about learning new skills like riding a bike — it also helps your brain stay healthy. In some…

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Hebbian plasticity is not just about learning new skills like riding a bike — it also helps your brain stay healthy. In some conditions, such as depression or post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the problematic symptoms can be caused by the poor function of certain brain connections. Imagine if the pathways between important parts of your brain were weak or broken. When brain pathways are weak, it can be harder to think clearly, concentrate, or feel happy. When a person experiences stress or trauma, Hebbian plasticity can also accidentally strengthen harmful connections. This happens because the brain is trying to protect itself, but sometimes it ends up strengthening neural pathways that make a person more vulnerable to negative emotions or stress responses. Fortunately, learning how to strengthen “positive” neural pathways, such as those involved in healthy coping strategies, physical activity, or resilience, can help restore balance, improving people’s moods and overall mental wellbeing.

Available at: https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ frym.2025.1425512. Accessed on: March 1st, 2025.

The adjective coping in the sentence “Fortunately, learning how to strengthen ‘positive’ neural pathways, such as those involved in healthy coping strategies, physical activity, or resilience [...].” is closest in meaning to