Neural correlates of solving arithmetic problems in adults

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Abstract

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was conducted during the mental calculation of tasks involving basic arithmetic operations at three difficulty levels. During the solving of arithmetic problems involving subtraction, multiplication, and division at the easy level, brain activity was observed in the left inferior parietal lobule and left angular gyrus, which may reflect the memory retrieval from long-term memory. Additionally, activity was detected in the left inferior frontal gyrus during division, indicating using the procedural strategy. As the task difficulty increased, brain activity in the left inferior parietal lobule and left angular gyrus became bilateral and more intense, with additional involvement of structures such as the superior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, inferior middle and temporal gyri, as well as the cerebellum, indicating the need for increased neural resources to solve more difficult tasks. Bilateral activity was identified in the insular cortex during the solving of three-digit division tasks, which is associated with various affective and cognitive processes. Many areas underlie mathematical performance in adults which highlight the different systems involved in solving arithmetic problems of varying complexity. Despite similarities in brain activation patterns, behavioral results showed statistically significant differences between arithmetic operations. The results of the study add to existing knowledge on neuromaping of math cognition.

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About the authors

A. V. Istomina

HSE University

Author for correspondence.
Email: avistomona@hse.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

A. Yu. Faber

HSE University

Email: avistomona@hse.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

A. V. Manzhurtsev

Clinical and Research Institute of Emerency Pediatric Surgery and Trauma

Email: avistomona@hse.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

M. V. Ublinsky

Clinical and Research Institute of Emerency Pediatric Surgery and Trauma

Email: avistomona@hse.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

M. Arsalidou

York University; NeuroPsyLab

Email: avistomona@hse.ru
Canada, Toronto; Toronto

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. (a) – types of problems and levels of difficulty in the Parametric Math Task (PMT); (б) – sequence of events and their duration in the Parametric Math Task (PMT).

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3. Fig. 2. (a) – аccuracy on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division plus control task in adults at three levels of difficulty (1, 2, 3). Statistically significant differences between tasks within each of the three levels: *– p < 0.05; (б) – reaction time on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division plus control task in adults at three levels of difficulty (1, 2, 3). Statistically significant differences between tasks within each of the three levels: * – p < 0.05.

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4. Fig. 3. Selected slices in (X, Y, Z) coordinates in MNI space illustrate activity when calculating contrasts: (a) LEVEL 1: DIVISION > CONTROL TASK: left inferior parietal lobule and angular gyrus (cluster peak at the intersection of the green lines), left supplementary motor area, and right cerebellum; (б) – LEVEL 2: DIVISION > CONTROL TASK: left (91 voxels – cluster peak at the intersection of the green lines), middle and inferior temporal gyri; (в) –LEVEL 3: DIVISION > CONTROL TASK: left (125 voxels – cluster peak at the intersection of the green lines) and right (115 voxels) insular cortex and inferior frontal gyrus; p < 0.005 (with correction for multiple comparisons). The minimum cluster size is 50 voxels at p < 0.005 (with correction for multiple comparisons). Note: L – left, R – right, A – anterior, P – posterior.

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