Electrical Signals Boost Math Skills in Students
A recent study has revealed that subtle electrical signals delivered to the brain can enhance math skills among college students. Researchers suggest that while the technology could soon be accessible for home use, further studies are still necessary.
The study involved 72 students from the University of Oxford. Participants’ math skills were evaluated through tests before they were divided into three groups with balanced abilities, ensuring that each group included individuals with both weaker and stronger math skills.
During the experiment, electrodes were placed on participants’ scalps to administer gentle electrical signals to their brains. Two groups received stimulation aimed at either the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) or the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), areas associated with math capabilities according to earlier research. The third group received a placebo stimulation.
The researchers employed transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), a type of non-invasive brain stimulation known for its comfort. The electrical current used was minimal. “Most people can’t even tell if they’re being stimulated,” noted Roi Cohen Kadosh, a neuroscientist at the University of Surrey. Each participant in the stimulation groups underwent 150 minutes of stimulation paired with math tests over five consecutive days.
The assessments focused on calculation skills and what the researchers called “drill learning.” The former relies on existing math competency and requires participants to solve presented problems, whereas the latter is more about memorizing a set of equations without needing any prior math skills.
Based on past studies, the authors anticipated that stimulating the dlPFC would enhance calculation ability, as this area is linked to learning new skills and advanced cognition. They also hypothesized that collaboration with the PPC, which is engaged in retrieving learned skills, might boost drill learning. Results confirmed that dlPFC stimulation indeed improved calculation performance, but PPC stimulation did not yield the same benefits for drill learning.
Before the testing began, the research team evaluated the connectivity between participants’ frontal and parietal lobes, the regions housing the dlPFC and PPC, respectively. They theorized that stronger connections between these lobes could enhance calculation learning. The data supported this: participants showing stronger connections had better calculation abilities at the onset.
Those with weaker connectivity in the placebo group struggled more with calculation tasks than their stronger-connected peers in the same group. Interestingly, participants with weak connections who received dlPFC stimulation showed significant improvements in their scores.
Notably, a prior small-scale study involving math professors indicated that stimulation could actually hinder their performance on math tests. This suggests that those with already high math skills might not benefit from such stimulation. “It’s an optimal setup,” Kadosh stated about the professors’ brains. “Introducing new noise can lead to negative impacts.”
Kadosh, who co-founded Cognite Neurotechnology, expressed hope for making this technology available to the public, mentioning potential advantages for university students, employees, and those in training environments. He also has aspirations to adapt this technology for individuals with learning challenges like ADHD.
On a related note, Sung Joo Kim, a psychologist from Binghamton University who was not part of the research, pointed out that while similar devices for home use have gained clearance, there is still a need for more thorough evaluation of their effectiveness.
Kim emphasized the possibility that these devices might require personalization based on individual brain structures. “Targeting specific brain areas might not be effective unless we consider the anatomical differences between individuals,” she remarked.
Kadosh added that any consumer-grade devices stemming from this study must be rooted in solid evidence, cautioning that many current consumer brain stimulation products lack a scientific foundation. “We need to demonstrate that this technology can be safely used at home,” he concluded.
