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Brain Stimulation Shows Promise in Boosting Math Skills
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For those who struggle with mathematics, a gentle electrical nudge to the brain might offer a solution.
A study featured in PLOS biology suggests that mild electrical stimulation can improve arithmetic performance. The research sheds light on the brain mechanisms underlying mathematical ability and presents a potential method for optimizing learning.
Researchers believe these findings could contribute to reducing cognitive disparities and fostering a more intellectually equitable society.
“Different people have different brains, and their brains control a lot in their life,” explained Roi Cohen Kadosh, a neuroscientist at the University of Surrey and lead author of the study.
“We think about the environment-if you go to the right school, if you have the right teacher-but it’s also our biology.”
the research team, led by Cohen kadosh, recruited 72 students from the University of Oxford. They used brain scans to assess the connectivity between three notable brain regions.
Participants were then given math problems that required either calculation or recalling memorized answers.
The study revealed that stronger connections between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive function, and the posterior parietal cortex, involved in memory, correlated with better calculation abilities.
Electrical Stimulation Enhances Performance
“Some people struggle with things, and if we can help their brain to fulfill their potential, we open them a lot of opportunities.”
Researchers used transcranial random noise stimulation, a non-invasive brain stimulation technique involving electrode-fitted caps, to deliver painless electrical stimulation. Low-performing participants experienced a 25-29% increase in their scores.
The team posits that the stimulation enhances neuron excitability and interacts with GABA, a brain chemical that inhibits excessive activity. This effectively compensates for weaker neural connectivity in some individuals.
Notably, the stimulation helped underperforming participants achieve or even surpass the scores of their peers with naturally stronger brain connections. However,those who already performed well did not experience any improvement.
Cohen Kadosh described this as an “exciting time” for brain stimulation research, adding, “Some people struggle with things, and if we can help their brain to fulfill their potential, we open them a lot of opportunities that otherwise would be closed.”
Ethical Considerations and Future Research
Cohen Kadosh also highlighted an important ethical concern: the potential for such technologies to become more accessible to those with financial resources, perhaps widening existing access gaps.
He cautioned the public against attempting this at home. “Some people struggle with learning, and if our research proves accomplished beyond the lab, we could help them fulfill their ambitions and unlock opportunities that might or else remain out of reach.”
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