Would you describe your logical math intelligence as higher than most? Or do you count yourself among estimates of 5% of all people who struggle with major math deficiencies?
Until recently, researchers knew little about the exact nature of math disorders ... nor did they claim to know how to help millions of people who fear math – through what seems to be a deficiency in one area of the brain. Fortunately, the math mind is beginning to yield its important secrets, and researchers tell us that could improve the way math skills are achieved by more people.
What exactly did they find?
When researchers at University College London, blocked activity in the right parietal lobe – math grew significantly more difficult for students who were otherwise strong in mathematics.
Dr Roi Cohen Kadosh, of the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, researched the results when the areas relevant to math learning in the right parietal lobes were disengaged for brief periods.
Kodush and his team found that stimulation to this brain region during a math test radically influenced the participants’ reaction times.
A test created to measure the subjects' automatic processing of numbers, was completed by people with math disability and to those without it. Check further developments on this study to help improve math skills, at University College London. This site will also be following and reporting back on this one.
Ellen, as one who could memorize and spout back all the compenents of foundational math, I struggled when I hit plane geometry and ways to line up the proofs of a proposition. With time and help from a neighbor the light finally shone through and I had an "aha" moment.
Did you see anything that differentiates the kind of math that's involved? For instance, algebra, geometry and trignometry require different sets of skills. Thoughts...?
Posted by: Robyn McMaster | March 25, 2007 7:03 AM | Permalink to Comment