Reference
Price, G. R., Mazzocco, M. M. M., & Ansari, D. (2013). Why Mental Arithmetic Counts: Brain Activation during Single Digit Arithmetic Predicts High School Math Scores. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(1), 156-163. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2936-12.2013
Review
In this article, the authors sought to determine whether individual differences in the brain mechanisms for arithmetic underlie variability in high school mathematical competence. They used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to correlate brain responses to single-digit calculation with standard scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) math subtest in high school seniors. The results showed that PSAT math scores correlated positively with calculation activation in the left supramarginal gyrus and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, regions known to be engaged during arithmetic fact retrieval. Conversely, greater activation in the right intraparietal sulcus during calculation, a region involved in numerical quantity processing, was related to lower PSAT math scores.
The findings of Price et al. (2013) suggest that the relative engagement of brain mechanisms associated with procedural versus memory-based calculation of single-digit arithmetic problems is related to high school-level mathematical competence. This highlights the fundamental role that mental arithmetic fluency plays in the acquisition of higher-level mathematical competence. The study adds valuable information to the existing body of research on the neural basis of individual differences in mathematical ability and emphasizes the importance of mental arithmetic in predicting high school math performance.
Despite its significant findings, the study by Price et al. (2013) is not without limitations. The sample size was relatively small, and future research could benefit from including a larger, more diverse group of participants. Additionally, longitudinal studies are needed to explore the development of brain activation patterns over time, as well as the influence of various interventions aimed at improving mental arithmetic skills. Nonetheless, this study provides valuable insights into the neural correlates of mathematical competence and has implications for educational practices and interventions.
