Proportional reasoning is very important logical skill required in mathematics and science problem solving as well as in everyday life decisions. However, there is a lack of studies on neurophysiological correlates of proportional reasoning. To explore the brain activity of healthy adults while performing a balance scale task, we used high-resolution EEG techniques and graph-theory based connectivity analysis. After unskilled subjects learned how to properly solve the task, their cortical power spectral density (PSD) maps revealed an increased parietal activity in the beta band. This indicated that subjects started to perform calculations. In addition, the number of inter-hemispheric connections decreased after learning, implying a rearrangement of the brain activity. Repeated performance of the task led to the PSD decrease in the beta and gamma bands among parietal and frontal regions along with a synchronization of lower frequencies. These findings suggest that repetition led to a more automatic task performance. Subjects were also divided in two groups according to their scores on the test of logical thinking (TOLT). Although no group differences in the accuracy and reaction times were found, EEG data showed higher activity in the beta and gamma bands for the group that scored better on TOLT. Learning and repetition induced changes in the pattern of functional connectivity were evident for all frequency bands. Overall, the results indicated that higher frequency oscillations in frontal and parietal regions are particularly important for proportional reasoning. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

High-resolution EEG analysis of power spectral density maps and coherence networks in a proportional reasoning task / Vecchiato, Giovanni; Susac, Ana; Stavroula, Margeti; DE VICO FALLANI, Fabrizio; Maglione, ANTON GIULIO; Selma, Supek; Maja, Planinic; Babiloni, Fabio. - In: BRAIN TOPOGRAPHY. - ISSN 0896-0267. - STAMPA. - 26:2(2012), pp. 303-314. [10.1007/s10548-012-0259-5]

High-resolution EEG analysis of power spectral density maps and coherence networks in a proportional reasoning task

VECCHIATO, GIOVANNI;DE VICO FALLANI, FABRIZIO;MAGLIONE, ANTON GIULIO;BABILONI, Fabio
2012

Abstract

Proportional reasoning is very important logical skill required in mathematics and science problem solving as well as in everyday life decisions. However, there is a lack of studies on neurophysiological correlates of proportional reasoning. To explore the brain activity of healthy adults while performing a balance scale task, we used high-resolution EEG techniques and graph-theory based connectivity analysis. After unskilled subjects learned how to properly solve the task, their cortical power spectral density (PSD) maps revealed an increased parietal activity in the beta band. This indicated that subjects started to perform calculations. In addition, the number of inter-hemispheric connections decreased after learning, implying a rearrangement of the brain activity. Repeated performance of the task led to the PSD decrease in the beta and gamma bands among parietal and frontal regions along with a synchronization of lower frequencies. These findings suggest that repetition led to a more automatic task performance. Subjects were also divided in two groups according to their scores on the test of logical thinking (TOLT). Although no group differences in the accuracy and reaction times were found, EEG data showed higher activity in the beta and gamma bands for the group that scored better on TOLT. Learning and repetition induced changes in the pattern of functional connectivity were evident for all frequency bands. Overall, the results indicated that higher frequency oscillations in frontal and parietal regions are particularly important for proportional reasoning. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.
2012
functional connectivity; oscillations; balance scale task; mental arithmetic; high-resolution eeg; logical reasoning
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
High-resolution EEG analysis of power spectral density maps and coherence networks in a proportional reasoning task / Vecchiato, Giovanni; Susac, Ana; Stavroula, Margeti; DE VICO FALLANI, Fabrizio; Maglione, ANTON GIULIO; Selma, Supek; Maja, Planinic; Babiloni, Fabio. - In: BRAIN TOPOGRAPHY. - ISSN 0896-0267. - STAMPA. - 26:2(2012), pp. 303-314. [10.1007/s10548-012-0259-5]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/482192
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