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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Utilizing Electroencephalography Measurements for Comparison of Task-Specific Neural Efficiencies: Spatial Intelligence Tasks

Utilizing Electroencephalography Measurements for Comparison of Task-Specific Neural Efficiencies: Spatial Intelligence Tasks

Published on: August 9, 2016

Individual differences in mathematical competence predict parietal brain activation during mental calculation.

Roland H Grabner¹, Daniel Ansari, Gernot Reishofer

¹Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria. grabner@ifv.gess.ethz.ch

|September 14, 2007

Summary

Higher mathematical competence is linked to increased activation in the left angular gyrus during arithmetic tasks. This suggests that more skilled individuals rely more on automatic, language-based processes for calculations.

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Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics (BM-PROMA)

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics (BM-PROMA)

Published on: August 28, 2021

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Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Utilizing Electroencephalography Measurements for Comparison of Task-Specific Neural Efficiencies: Spatial Intelligence Tasks

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Published on: August 9, 2016

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics (BM-PROMA)

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics (BM-PROMA)

Published on: August 28, 2021

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Educational Psychology

Background:

Parietal brain circuits are known to be involved in arithmetic problem solving.
Brain activation patterns in these circuits change with training and development.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if individual differences in mathematical competence influence brain activation during mental calculation.
To explore the neural basis of varying mathematical abilities in adults.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity in 25 adult students.
Participants were divided into lower and higher mathematical competence groups based on standardized tests.
The task involved verifying the correctness of single- and multi-digit multiplication problems.

Main Results:

Individuals with higher mathematical competence showed greater activation in the left angular gyrus for both problem types.
Correlational analyses confirmed a link between mathematical competence and left angular gyrus activation, independent of task performance.
No significant differences in non-numerical intelligence or age were found between the groups.

Conclusions:

The left angular gyrus plays a crucial role in individual differences in mathematical ability.
Enhanced mathematical competence may be associated with a greater reliance on automatic, language-mediated calculation processes.