Zapping the brain could help people who struggle with maths

Researchers gave 102 people  - half of whom had their brain zapped with a mild electric current to stimulate the cells -  a set of tricky sums to solve.

Those who received the brain stimulation answered the questions in more difficult learning conditions and in about half the time than participants who nohad t been zapped.

The technique only worked in people who had low cell activity in the the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the brain - individuals who tend to struggle with arithmetic.

The findings imply that an electric current to the brain could help people who aren't good at maths to do better, but it may not have the same impact on those who are fortunate enough to have good numerical abilities.

Roi Cohen Kadosh, lead author of the study at the University of Surrey, said: "What we have found is how this promising neurostimulation works and under which conditions the stimulation protocol is most effective.

"This discovery could pave the way for a more tailored approach in a person's learning journey."

For feedback: contact the Editorial Department at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.