There’s a fatty substance located in the white matter of the brain called myelin, and it serves as a “sheath” that protects nerve fibers, prevents energy loss, and helps information move along neural pathways. When we repeat an activity, the myelin coating thickens, leading to a more efficient transfer of information. So instead of building muscle memory, you’re actually building up myelin in neural pathways—creating a “superhighway of information connecting your brain to your muscles,” as Don Greene, the narrator of the video, notes.

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