Neurotransmitter Levels in the Brain Can Predict Math Ability

The neurotransmitters GABA and glutamate have complementary functions – GABA inhibits neurons, while glutamate makes them extra active. Published on July 22nd, 2021, in PLOS Biology, scientists led by Roi Cohen Kadosh and George Zacharopoulos from the University of Oxford revealed that degrees of these two neurotransmitters in the intraparietal sulcus of the brain could predict math skills. The research also revealed that the connections between neurotransmitters and arithmetic fluency changed as kids developed into adults.

Levels of brain excitement/inhibition are believed to be associated with learning, particularly throughout critical times. However, little is known about their connection to complex learning that can occur over the years. To attend to this concern, the scientists gauged the levels of GABA and glutamate in 255 people, with ages varying from 6-year-olds to university students. The individuals additionally took two mathematics achievement tests, and their performance on the arithmetic problems was associated with the GABA and glutamate degrees.

The group found that amongst the younger faction, greater GABA degrees in the left intraparietal sulcus of the brain (a fold in the top, left, back part of the mind) were connected with better mathematics fluency, and the reverse applied to the glutamate. In adults, the results were nearly contrary; low GABA concentrations were linked with better mathematics fluency, and once more, the reverse held for glutamate. Since the individuals were examined twice, about 1.5 years apart, the scientists were also able to show that natural chemical levels at the time of the very first test could anticipate mathematics accomplishment at a later day.

Most of what we understand regarding GABA, glutamate, and learning comes from lab experiments on rodents, which cannot claim anything clear about natural school-based skills such as math that develop gradually. This longitudinal study in people will aid researchers to comprehend better the connection between knowing and brain plasticity, specifically throughout critical periods that could span years.

Cohen Kadosh includes, “Our discovery of developing shifts in the link between GABA, glutamate and academic accomplishment highlights a generic, unidentified principle of plasticity. In opposition to previous researches on humans or animals centered on narrower developing phases, our cross-sectional-longitudinal study indicates that the link between plasticity, brain excitation, and inhibition throughout different stages is unlikely to be invariable. Our discovery also has meaningful implications for the development of brain-based interventional programs, which we wish to analyze in the future.”

Originally published on Phys.org. Read the original article.

Reference: “Predicting learning and achievement using GABA and glutamate concentrations in human development” by George Zacharopoulos, Francesco Sella, Kathrin Cohen Kadosh, Charlotte Hartwright, Uzay Emir and Roi Cohen Kadosh, 22 July 2021, PLOS Biology. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001325