A group of scientists from the University of Oxford, led by Roy Cohen Kadosh, conducted a bold experiment and used weak electrical pulses stimulated the brain students to improve their math skills.
The study involved 72 students. They wore caps with electrodes on their heads and sent weak electrical impulses to brain regions, related to learning processes. Some participants in the control group received a placebo.
After that, for 5 days, all students were engaged in solving mathematical problems, that included both calculations and memorization of the material they had studied. Before the experiment, the researchers scanned the brain of all participants. Scientists were particularly interested in the connection between the two brain regions — the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for learning new material, and the posterior parietal cortex to utilize the material learned. A stronger connection between these areas guaranteed better math skills.
Students with a weak connection between these areas, who were stimulated with electrical impulses prefrontal cortex, showed the greatest success. Their math skills improved by 25-29%. They were able to catch up and even surpass more gifted participants in some cases.
The experiment is based on the concept of stochastic resonance. Small noise can actually amplify weak signals in the brain. Thus, carefully calibrated noise stimulation can improve cognitive function by highlighting weaker neurons. This can be useful for people whose brains are not adapted to quickly learn math material.
However, such stimulation does not have a positive effect on everyone. Back in 2013, a group of scientists, again led by Roy Cohen Kadosh, tested a similar approach on math professors. The results showed that their math skills deteriorated during this stimulation.
However, scientists still do not understand how this works, given the individual characteristics of each person’s brain. Nevertheless, this technique could help improve the math skills of many people who need it. Experts estimate that in developed countries, about a quarter of adults have math skills at the level of a 7-year-old child.
«Until now, most efforts to improve education have focused on changing the environment — training teachers, redesigning curricula — while largely ignoring the neurobiology of the learner. However, a growing body of research has shown that biological factors often explain math learning outcomes more effectively than environmental factors. By integrating insights from psychology, neuroscience, and education to develop innovative methods that address these neurobiological limitations, we can help more people reach their potential, increase access to diverse career paths, and reduce long-term inequalities in income, health, and well-being», — the researchers emphasize.
The results of the study were published in the journal PLoS
Source: ZMEScience
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