Brain plasticity could be increased by watching videos of basic tasks before performing them, strengthening motor skills and allowing for better learning.
The study involved 36 healthy adults who attended 40 minute training sessions five times a week for two weeks. Half the group watched videos of specific tasks and were then asked to perform them, while the remainder watched videos of landscapes but were asked to complete the same tasks.
Those who watched the activities they performed had 11 times greater motor skills abilities, mostly in terms of strength, than their counterparts who watched landscape videos.
As brain plasticity decreases with age, the study shows that adults can learn new skills better by watching activities before completing them.
Read more at American Academy of Neurology