"Of the subjects learning the new vocabulary, those who were more successful in attaining the information showed a more connected brain network than both the less successful participants and those who did not learn the new vocabulary."
Those who were successful showed a real improvement. But what of those who weren't successful?
"The researchers also found that the participants who were successful learners had a more connected network than the other participants even before learning took place."
So... people could be grouped into success or failure even before the learning.
Those who weren't genetically set up for it, got little advantage.
I thought the same thing, I didn't see anything in the article that mentioned that learning a new language improved your brain, unless you already had a very good and connected brain to learn the language.
Maybe we can infer that if you try to learn somethign which you don't have the brain capacity to learn, it will be of no use. But if you try and learn something at your level of brain capacity, it will improve your brain.
Therefore, to improve your brain you need to challenge it everytime with something it's capable of solving. Sounds a lot like it's saying, just actively practice your brain.
"Of the subjects learning the new vocabulary, those who were more successful in attaining the information showed a more connected brain network than both the less successful participants and those who did not learn the new vocabulary."
Those who were successful showed a real improvement. But what of those who weren't successful?
"The researchers also found that the participants who were successful learners had a more connected network than the other participants even before learning took place."
So... people could be grouped into success or failure even before the learning.
Those who weren't genetically set up for it, got little advantage.