Summary: New research suggests that safe, non-invasive brain stimulation can improve math learning in young adults with low natural brain connectivity. Participants who received transcranial noise stimulation (tRNS) of the left prefrontal cortex performed better in math training than those who received a placebo or stimulation in other areas.
This improvement was most pronounced in individuals with reduced connectivity between brain regions involved in learning. This improvement was also associated with lower levels of GABA, a brain chemical that affects learning ability.
Important facts:
- Specific brain development: Administration of tRNS into the dlPFC improved math learning in people with weak natural brain connectivity.
- GABA binding: The learning benefits were associated with lower levels of GABA, an important inhibitory neurotransmitter.
- Educational equality: The results support the use of brain-focused interventions to close gaps and reduce inequalities in mathematics education.
Source: University of Surrey
“New research from the University of Surrey suggests that safe, painless, and non-invasive brain stimulation could support people who are at risk of falling behind in math.”
The study, published in PLOS Biology, found that applying a safe electrical current to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which is involved in learning and memory, concentration, and problem-solving, helped people aged 18 to 30 solve math problems more efficiently.
In the study, 72 healthy adults took part in a five-day math training program. They were split into three groups: one group received a type of brain stimulation called transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), another received tRNS in the posterior parietal cortex, and the third group received a placebo (sham) version of the stimulation.
This setup allowed researchers to compare how stimulating different parts of the brain affected learning, compared to no real stimulation. Brain scans revealed that participants with stronger connections between the dlPFC and posterior parietal cortex tended to perform better on the math tasks.
They then showed that tRNS on the dlPFC significantly improved learning outcomes in people with low natural brain connectivity between this region and the posterior parietal cortex, a neurobiological profile associated with poor learning.
The improvement in math learning was also linked to lower levels of GABA a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) known to play a role in learning. Interestingly, the same research team had previously found that GABA levels can influence math ability from childhood all the way through high school and into adulthood.
Until now, most efforts to improve education have focused on environmental changes—teacher training, curriculum revisions—and have largely ignored students’ neurobiology. However, a growing body of research suggests that biological factors often provide a stronger explanation for academic achievement in math than environmental factors.
By combining insights from psychology, neuroscience, and education to develop innovative techniques that overcome these neural limitations, we can help more people reach their potential, increase access to diverse career opportunities, and reduce long-term inequalities in income, health, and well-being.
These findings point to a biological basis for the “Matthew effect,” in which people with educational advantages tend to thrive while others fall further behind. The study suggests that targeted brain stimulation can bridge this gap.
As the UK aims to improve maths skills across the population, particularly among young adults, this basic research and future research using larger samples outside the laboratory can help shape future policy by showing how personalised, brain-focused support can make learning more equitable and effective.
Funding: This research was funded by the European Research Council and the Wellcome Trust.
Abstract
Functional connectivity and GABAergic signaling modulate the enhancing effect of neurostimulation on mathematics learning.
Diligent study and practice are essential for academic success in subjects like reading, language arts, and math. They also affect future career prospects, socioeconomic status, and health.
However, academic learning outcomes often vary because early cognitive gains lead to further gains (the Matthew effect). One area where students often struggle is learning mathematics.
Neurobiological research suggests that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), posterior parietal cortex (PPC), and hippocampus are involved in mathematics learning.
However, it’s still unclear whether these brain chemicals directly cause improvements in learning. Recent studies also suggest that the balance between brain excitation and inhibition known as the E/I balance may play a key role in neuroplasticity and learning.
To deepen our understanding of the mechanisms driving mathematics learning, we used a novel method that integrates double-blind excitatory neurostimulation (transcranial high-frequency random noise stimulation [tRNS]) and examined its effects at behavioral, functional, and neurochemical levels.
In a five-day math learning study involving 72 participants, researchers applied active transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) to either the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) or the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), and compared the results to a control group that received sham (placebo) stimulation.
Individuals who had strong positive frontoparietal connectivity at the beginning of the study showed greater progress in math learning.
Next, using tRNS to modulate frontoparietal connectivity, we found that participants with weak positive frontoparietal connectivity at baseline, which is typically associated with poor learning performance, achieved better learning outcomes after using dlPFC-tRNS alone.
Further analyses showed that dlPFC-tRNS improved learning outcomes in participants with decreased dlPFC GABA as well as reduced positive frontoparietal connectivity. However, this effect was reversed in participants with increased positive frontoparietal connectivity.
Our multimodal approach sheds light on the causal role of the dlPFC and frontoparietal networks in essential academic learning. It also highlights how the effectiveness of brain-based interventions is influenced by the interaction between functional brain connectivity and GABA-related activity. This has important implications for individuals who may struggle with learning due to their unique neurobiological makeup.
