Brain potentials during mental arithmetic-effects of problem difficulty on event-related brain potentials

doi:10.1016/S0304-3940(98)00974-4

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 260, Issue 3, 5 February 1999, Pages 169-172

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(98)00974-4 Get rights and content

Abstract

One addend `+' symbol and another addend were presented in sequence to subjects in a monitor, and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded at the same time to examine the effect of problem difficulty (with or without carrying in solution) on ERPs. After the presentation of the second addend, N1, P1, N2, late positive complex and slow waves were recorded. The P2 amplitude at F3 site for the difficult arithmetic problems between 168 and 184 ms is larger (more positive) than that for easy problems (P<0.05). The mean latency of P2 at F7 and P3b at F3 and F4 is significantly longer for difficult problems than that for easy ones (P<0.05). It is suggested that prefrontal activity may be involved in the arithmetic data retrieval process. ERPs is modified to different degrees by changing the difficulty of mental arithmetic.

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

In summary, we can deduce mental arithmetic process, after interpreting operation symbols, the brain retrieves arithmetic data in PFC. And then, it executes the calculation procedure in the posterior parietal cortex. PFC is a region that is involved in the production of the `problem size' effect.

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Brain potentials during mental arithmetic-effects of problem difficulty on event-related brain potentials

Abstract

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Cogn. Brain Res.

Neuroimage

Slow potentials of the cerebral cortex and behavior

Physiol. Rev.

Laterization of prefrontal activation during internal mental calculation: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study

J. Neurophysiol.

Mental multiplication skill: structure, process and acquisition

Can. J. Psychol.

Modern mind-brain reading: psychophysiology, physiology, and cognition

Psychophysiology

Calculation disturbances in adults with focal hemispheric damage

Cortex

Intracranial topography of event-related potentials (N400/P600) elicited during a continuous recognition memory task

Psychophysiology