Takai Hensch, a Harvard professor of molecular and cellular biology, is researching valproic acid* to enhance learning. VPA is used to treat several conditions (see below*), but Hensch is researching the chemical's ability to provide adult brains with the plasticity children experience when it comes to learning new skills and to absorb new information.

In his research (via PubMed.gov), Hensch is focused on teaching adults perfect pitch. But the applications could enable learning in nearly any field. The expectation is an increase in how well adults can take in information in order to speed their learning of new material. When you consider how long it takes to master some specialties, this could help learners increase the speed through which they can cover material and provide extra years of work at higher levels. It would be a major breakthrough for increasing the efficiency of preparing humans for nearly all types of work.

After finishing my education degrees, I had initially assumed the plasticity and focus children experience is due to a lack of information cluttering up their intake. With less overall information and experiences, each learning and play situation is more unique and impactful. It wasn't until I started reading about the impact learning a second language can have on a child throughout their life that I really began to understand my earlier viewpoint was simplistic and represented how the mainstream has too often viewed child-age learning. This research would further support a child's plasticity is an actual stage of brain plasticity we could reclaim as needed in our adult years.

As for the future, I can think of several immediate impacts:

• Adult learning designed to provide information could be shortened, providing more time for hands-on sessions.
• Adults looking to change careers would be require less time to learn new skills, a valuable option given how busy we often are in adulthood.
• Individuals who plateau in an interest might use this as a way to jumpstart their effort.
• Even shortening the introductory information time requirement to sample a range of hobbies could impact quality of life or even help minimize issues such as depression.
• Others? Post below.

Links:

• Article from THE WEEK.
• Overview on NPR.
• Wikipedia article:

Valproic acid (VPA, Valproate), an acidic chemical compound, has found clinical use as ananticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug, primarily in the treatment of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and, less commonly, major depression. It is also used to treat migraine headaches.

• Overview on brain plasticity from Dr. Eric Chudler's Neuroscience for Kids site.
• Hensch's research on this subject available on PubMed.
• Cognitive Benefits of Learning Language via the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.