Scientists Discover Math Neurons Fire up in Brain When Doing Mathematical Operations

The presence of 'math neurons' was found in the human brain, as per a new study. It has been known that the brain contains billions of neurons for multiple functions.

However, the study found specific neurons for addition and subtraction are activated when a person engages in mathematical operations.

The researchers behind the study used several human participants where they were implanted with a device in a specific part of their brain to record the activity of their nerve cells.

It was found there are some neurons active when doing additions, while a separate group of neurons is only present during subtractions.

Limited data is available when it comes to understanding the brain processes when solving mathematical problems.

In light of the new discovery, researchers in the future could further explore the grey areas concerning the human brain.

Presence of Math Neurons

The discovery was published in a new study in the journal Current Biology on Monday, Feb. 14, shedding light on one of the unknown processes of the brain-especially when doing math solutions. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Bonn and the University of Tubingen in Germany.

While the brain contains billions of neurons for different functions, the study magnified the existence of so-called 'math neurons' responsible for helping humans solve mathematical operations. In this case, the researchers experimented on the processes of addition and subtraction.

Addition and Subtraction Fires Up Neurons

The researchers from the universities of Bronn and Tubingen conducted an experiment. It was participated by nine people, including five women and four men. The researchers implanted electrodes in the medial temporal lobe of the participants' brains.

The participants were then asked to perform simple mathematical operations, specifically addition and subtraction. As a result, the researchers found some neurons only respond if the operation is in addition; while other neurons only activate during subtraction, as per ScienceDaily.

Furthermore, the experiment yielded those single neurons showing abstract codes for addition and subtraction in the medial temporal lobe. Within the medial temporal lobe, a brain section called the Para hippocampal cortex also fired specific neurons during addition and subtraction operations.

Lastly, results from the experiment showed the math neurons are not dependent on whether the mathematical operations of addition and subtraction are written down as a word or a symbol, as per Neuroscience News.

Importance of the Groundbreaking Study

The study acknowledged the fact that there is still limited data about math neurons and how the brain functions when we engage in mathematical operations.

Nevertheless, the groundbreaking study is important since it can serve as a tool for further studies of the human brain-where a full understanding of unsolved brain processes remains a mystery, including memory and dreams.

According to the Allen Institute, there is still a multitude of unsolved mysteries about the brain. These include the complete composition of the brain, how neuron talks to each other, and the mechanics of how the brain computes.