Hebbian theory
Hebbian theory is a neuroscience theory proposed by Donald Hebb that suggests an increase in synaptic efficacy arises from a presynaptic cell's repeated and persistent stimulation of a postsynaptic cell. It is often summarized as "Cells that fire together, wire together."
Pronunciation
- Hebbian: /ˈhɛbiən/
Etymology
The theory is named after the Canadian psychologist Donald Olding Hebb who first proposed it in his 1949 book "The Organization of Behavior". The term "Hebbian" is used to refer to the theory and its related concepts.
Definition
Hebbian theory is a neurological theory about synaptic plasticity, suggesting that changes in synapses are responsible for the formation of neural networks. According to this theory, when an axon of cell A is near enough to excite cell B and repeatedly or persistently takes part in firing it, some growth process or metabolic change takes place in one or both cells such that A's efficiency, as one of the cells firing B, is increased.
Related Terms
- Synaptic plasticity: The ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken over time, in response to increases or decreases in their activity.
- Neural networks: A series of interconnected neurons whose activation defines a recognizable linear pathway.
- Long-term potentiation: A long-lasting strengthening of synapses between nerve cells.
- Neuroplasticity: The ability of the brain to change throughout an individual's life.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Hebbian theory
- Wikipedia's article - Hebbian theory
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski