Study reveals brain prioritizes classical or operant conditioning for effective learning

A study from Tel Aviv University reveals that classical and operant conditioning cannot occur simultaneously in the brain. Researchers found that when fruit flies were trained in both methods at once, they became confused and failed to learn effectively. The brain prioritizes one learning system over the other to avoid conflicting behaviors. This discovery changes the understanding of memory formation and suggests that the brain actively suppresses one type of learning when the other is being used. These findings may lead to new strategies for treating learning disorders like ADHD and Alzheimer’s. Understanding how the brain manages different learning systems could improve educational methods and therapeutic approaches.