Increased gray matter density in the parietal cortex of mathematicians: A voxel-based morphometry study
Increased gray matter density in the parietal cortex of mathematicians: A voxel-based morphometry study
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DOI：
10.3174/ajnr.a0696
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发表时间：
2007-11-01
影响因子：
3.5
通讯作者：
Ozturk, C.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Aydin, K.;Ucar, A.;Ozturk, C.
背景和目的：为了获得或练习执行一项技能而进行的训练，可能会导致大脑的结构变化，称为经验依赖性结构可塑性。本横断面研究的主要目的是探讨数学家的大脑中是否存在经验依赖的结构可塑性，这种可塑性可能是在长期的数学思维练习后发展起来的。材料与方法：26名志愿者，谁一直担任院士，参加了这项研究。我们应用了优化的方法，基于体素的形态学在数学家和年龄和性别匹配的控制对象。我们评估了数学家和对照组的灰色和白色物质密度差异。结果：与对照组相比，数学家左侧额下小叶和双侧顶下小叶的皮质灰质密度显著增加，而左侧额下小叶和双侧顶下小叶的皮质灰质密度显著增加。此外，数学家右侧顶下小叶灰质密度的增加与作为学者的时间密切相关（r = 0.84; P <0.01）。左下额叶和双侧顶叶区域参与算术处理。顶叶下区也参与了高层次的数学思维，这需要视觉空间的形象，如心理创造和操作的3D objects.CONCLUSION：基于体素的形态学分析的数学家的大脑显示增加的灰质密度的皮质区域的数学思维。大脑皮层密度的增加和作为一名学者所花的时间之间的相关性表明，数学家的大脑中存在依赖于经验的结构可塑性。
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The training to acquire or practicing to perform a skill, which may lead to structural changes in the brain, is called experience-dependent structural plasticity. The main purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the presence of experience-dependent structural plasticity in mathematicians' brains, which may develop after long-term practice of mathematic thinking.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six volunteer mathematicians, who have been working as academicians, were enrolled in the study. We applied an optimized method of voxel-based morphometry in the mathematicians and the age- and sex-matched control subjects. We assessed the gray and white matter density differences in mathematicians and the control subjects. Moreover, the correlation between the cortical density and the time spent as an academician was investigated.RESULTS: We found that cortical gray matter density in the left inferior frontal and bilateral inferior parietal lobules of the mathematicians were significantly increased compared with the control subjects. Furthermore, increase in gray matter density in the right inferior parietal lobule of the mathematicians was strongly correlated with the time spent as an academician (r = 0.84; P < .01). Left-inferior frontal and bilateral parietal regions are involved in arithmetic processing. Inferior parietal regions are also involved in high-level mathematic thinking, which requires visuospatial imagery, such as mental creation and manipulation of 3D objects.CONCLUSION: The voxel-based morphometric analysis of mathematicians' brains revealed increased gray matter density in the cortical regions related to mathematic thinking. The correlation between cortical density increase and the time spent as an academician suggests experience-dependent structural plasticity in mathematicians' brains.