Becoming an expert: Ontogeny of expertise as an example of neural reuse

Behav Brain Sci. 2016 Jan:39:e123. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X15001570.

Abstract

In this commentary, we discuss an important pattern of results in the literature on the neural basis of expertise: (a) decrease of cerebral activation at the beginning of acquisition of expertise and (b) functional cerebral reorganization as a consequence of years of practice. We show how these two results can be integrated with the neural reuse framework.

MeSH terms

  • Biological Evolution*
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Models, Theoretical