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Studying math past the age of 16 supports brain development and later cognitive abilities, researchers reported June 15∈ Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In the U.K., students can opt to drop math classes when they turn 16. The researchers wanted to know whether this led to any differences ∈ brain development and cognitive ability between math lovers and the math averse. So, they scanned the brains of 129 teens between ages 14 and 18. Those who dropped math classes at 16 had lower levels of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)∈ regions of the brain involved ∈ math, reasoning, and problem solving. They also performed worse on tests of basic arithmetic and mathematical problem-solving more than a year later. The study shows how education can mold our brains, potentially determining cognitive ability for years to come. Tellingly, GABA levels ∈ younger students didn’t differ, suggesting that the lower levels ∈ older teens was a result — rather than a cause — of dropping math.
Available at: https://www.brainfacts.org/neuroscience-insociety/neuroscience-in-the-news/2021/icymi-studying-mathhelps-the-teen-brain-develop-071621. Accessed on: Aug 5, 2021.
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