[Learning and its difficulties].

Abstract

AIMS: To review some aspects of learning and its difficulties, learning understood as meaning a process that allows the nervous system to develop, and also as acquisition and consolidation, and as a synaptic and neocortical process. Likewise, we also intend to analyse the role played by the environment as well as the relations between learning and maturing, and between learning and plasticity. It is also our aim to define learning difficulties and to discuss how they can be classified. Finally, this study also seeks to consider diagnosis and the different possibilities it may offer. DEVELOPMENT: The main issue analysed here is the diagnosis of learning disorders, which is classified as being either positive (syndromatic, topographic, aetiological) or differential; the paper also describes the ways such diagnoses can be carried out and the role played by an interdisciplinary team is underlined. CONCLUSIONS: Attention is drawn to the importance of this subject owing to the large numbers of children who visit a specialist because of a possible learning disorder. At the same time we also highlight the fact that the members of the team that study these children will need to have a sound and comprehensive training because of the many pathologies that may be at play. Lastly, we discuss the need to conduct this research to resolve certain aspects that are not well understood.