What is the technical term for the brain's established routes that make old ways of thinking or doing things hard to change?

The technical term for the brain's established routes that make old ways of thinking or doing things hard to change is neural entrenchment. Neural entrenchment describes the process where specific neural pathways, which are networks of interconnected brain cells called neurons, become deeply ingrained and highly efficient through repeated use. When you repeatedly engage in a particular thought pattern, behavior, or skill, the connections between the relevant neurons, known as synapses, strengthen. A synapse is the microscopic gap where one neuron transmits signals to another. The more a neural pathway is activated, the more robust and efficient these synaptic connections become, making the pathway the brain's preferred route for related activity. This strengthening is a core mechanism of neural plasticity, which is the brain's fundamental ability to change and adapt by forming new connections or modifying existing ones throughout life. However, when pathways become highly entrenched, they exhibit resistance to change. The brain finds these established, energy-efficient routes easier and faster to use, making it challenging to form new, alternative pathways for different thoughts or actions, or to weaken the existing strong ones. This inherent resistance to alteration within entrenched neural pathways is what makes old habits, routines, or established ways of thinking difficult to modify, often resulting in cognitive rigidity or habitual behavior.