 |
|
|
|
May 2nd, 2013
07:02 AM ET
Kids’ brains can predict math tutor benefitKids don't all learn at the same pace, or in the same way. Extra tutoring doesn't always help either, but for some it helps a lot. Why? Researchers, publishing this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, believe the answer is in the brain. By looking at the structures and wiring of children's brains, they've developed a method of predicting who will benefit most from tutoring. This doesn't mean, however, that you will be seeing brain scans in every school. "What we’ve done is much more modest, in terms of trying to understand what are the systems that underlie individual differences in response to math tutoring," said Vinod Menon, professor at Stanford University School of Medicine and senior author of the study. The study looked at 24 children in third grade, ages 8 to 9, which is a critical period for gaining basic math skills. Menon's previous research, published in 2011, found that third-graders demonstrate superior problem-solving abilities compared to second-graders, and that this is also associated with brain changes. While 24 is a small number of subjects, it's typical for a study involving functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). One group of children underwent tutoring for eight weeks; during that time, the others did not. Before this, scientists used brain scanning technology to examine the structures and wiring of the children's brains. Results With tutoring, perhaps unsurprisingly, the researchers noticed that the kids were quicker and more accurate in their arithmetic problems. Some improved more than others. "We observed a lot of variation in how much a child learns as a result of the tutoring, and we asked, what drives these individual differences?" Menon said. "Is there something in the brain structure and the way it’s wired that can predict whether child will learn a lot or a little?" For math-phobic, numbers pose threat of pain It appeared that IQ, working memory and initial math abilities had, on average, nothing to do with how much any given child improved during this time. The magic formula, according to this study, was in the brain. The volume of the hippocampus, a structure in the brain crucial for episodic memory, was associated with performance improvement with tutoring. It's instrumental in making memories for places and events over time. Researchers found it surprising that the same area appears to not only facilitate math learning, but also to predict math learning. Adults use a different brain system for learning. How the hippocampus is functionally linked to other key areas involved in learning also appeared to be very important in predicting improvement. Namely, connections to the dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices (involved in memory encoding and retrieval) and the basal ganglia (important for habits and procedures) were highly predictive, Menon said. These connectivity measures were even more predictive than parameters involving the structures themselves. "It tells us about the memory systems in which the brain uses to scaffold and build knowledge representations," he said. Implications Menon cautions against any interpretations of this research as evidence that some people are born with better brains for math than others. It's not clear that the brain attributes measured in the study won't change over time, even within a year, and environmental factors have a huge impact on brain development. "One has to be really, really cautious about pushing these kinds of findings, and interpreting these findings, in that light," he said. The model's predictability is stronger than in a purely associational study, Menon said. Researchers used a machine-learning algorithm to test out the predictability of the brain scan model before using it on the 24 children who were placed in tutoring or non-tutoring groups. But it's currently unclear how this brain data could be used to design different learning strategies for children who are predicted to learn math less easily than others, he said. "How this plays out for identifying children and figuring out alternate strategies, that’s future work," he said. Menon also studies music's effects on the brain.
Next entry »Childhood food, skin allergies on the rise
« Previous entryThousands of kids hurt yearly on amusement rides
|
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
 |
|
|
|
cialis timeline how to get cialis without prescription maximum daily dose of cialis
cialis 50 mg bye cialis online from usa buy real cialis
Female Viagra elevit online pharmacy prescription drugs that dilate pupils
best drugstore primer silkroad online pharmacy reviews generic viagra online pharmacy
que es cialis cvs cialis price how to use cialis 5mg
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is essentially a game where you can do anything you want. sl is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you want to see more you can see these Second Life authors and blogs
http://everydayliteracies.blogspot.com/2014/08/new-book-in-our-series-youth-community.html?showComment=1465018195755
cialis overnight shipping canada original cialis pills cialis paypal pay with
phentermine canadian pharmacy online online pharmacy for viagra ed treatment
discount cialis online cvs cialis cialis with out perscription
This was awesome! I would like you to clean up all this spam though
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusufhanafy
Have intervals and innovative security systems.
https://acoustics.jp/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ldevm6god8ghc06.html
rite rx care pharmacy is canadian pharmacy legit pet medications canada pharmacy
cialis brand no prescription 365 female cialis 20mg cialis best price
This was great! I would like you to clean up all this spam though
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusufhanafy
cialis daily vs 36 hour cialis 36 hours i want to buy cialis in the uk
cialis cipra cialis free trial once per year buy cialis
This was great! I would like you to clean up all this spam though
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusufhanafy
Augmentin canadian pharmacy exams prescription price comparison
generuc cialis is cialis a prescription drug difficulty ejaculating cialis
cialis black buy in australia cialis with dapoxetine sale daily use cialis cost
cialis retail price how to avoid cialis side effects cialis stores
cialis and women buy cialis professional cheap cialis generic online
This was great! I would like you to clean up all this spam though
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusufhanafy
drugs without prescription reliable canadian pharmacy reviews charles raines pharmacy winston-salem nc early drug store
pharmacy in montreal canada pharmacy usa store online classes for pharmacy technician
cialis where to buy in las vegas nv taking viagra with cialis viagra v cialis
canadian pharmacy store reviews pharmacy school in canada cvs pharmacy store timings
cialis, generic cialis no script cialis sell
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is essentially a online game where you can do anything you want. SL is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you want to see more you can see these Second Life articles and blogs
http://everydayliteracies.blogspot.com/2014/08/new-book-in-our-series-youth-community.html?showComment=1500932480919
viagracialisevit generic cialis overnight shipping generic cialis usps priority mail
Seroquel Zyrtec pharmacy technician training online
I don't know about you guys but I am obsessed with airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff I don't know about you guys but I love airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff https://www.airlinereporter.com/2008/08/your-flight-has-been-cancelled-too-bad-so-sad/
http://www.doc-txt.com/Boeing-Everett-Museum.pdf
I don't know about you guys but I love airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loves airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff I don't know about you guys but I love airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff https://www.airlinereporter.com/2010/12/open-letter-to-private-boeing-747-8-and-boeing-787-buyers/
http://urlm.co/g/c/f/163870
I don't know about you all but I infatuated with airplanes. I have a friend in highschool that loves airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff I don't know about you guys but I love airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff https://www.airlinereporter.com/2009/12/knee-jerk-security-measures-are-annoying/
http://myvedana.blogspot.com/2006/07/this-picture.html
canadian pharmaceuticals online safe prescription drugs used percocet canadian pharmacy
buy cialis with dapoxetine cheap cialis canada cialis dosage for women
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is essentially a online game where you can do anything you want. Second life is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you would like to see more you can see these Second Life authors and blogs
http://myvedana.blogspot.com/2006/05/dead-wood.html?m=0
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is basically a game where you can do anything you want. SL is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you would like to see more you can see these Second Life authors and blogs
http://beyondnewhorizons.com/tag/digital-technologies/
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is basically a online game where you can do anything you want. SL is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you would like to see more you can see these Second Life authors and blogs
http://amusingspace.blogspot.com/2007/12/it-works-by-magic.html
hydrochloroquine https://www.pharmaceptica.com/
buy sildenafil 20 mg without prescription https://pharmaceptica.com/