Hebb's Theory of Neuronal Growth

Donald Hebb (1949) proposed one of the most important theories in neuroscience — the idea that learning and experience strengthen the connections between neurons. His theory is often summarised as "neurons that fire together wire together" and forms the foundation of our understanding of how the brain changes in response to experience (neuroplasticity).

---

Hebb's Key Idea

Hebb proposed that when two neurons are repeatedly activated at the same time, the connection (synapse) between them becomes stronger. Over time, the activation of one neuron becomes more likely to trigger the activation of the other.

The Hebbian Principle

"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." — Donald Hebb, 1949

In simpler terms: Neurons that fire together wire together.

This means that: