Conference paper
Tangram solved? Prefrontal cortex activation analysis during geometric problem solving
Conference proceedings (IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Conf.), v 2012, pp 4724-4727
2012
PMID: 23366983
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Recent neuroimaging studies have implicated prefrontal and parietal cortices for mathematical problem solving. Mental arithmetic tasks have been used extensively to study neural correlates of mathematical reasoning. In the present study we used geometric problem sets (tangram tasks) that require executive planning and visuospatial reasoning without any linguistic representation interference. We used portable optical brain imaging (functional near infrared spectroscopy--fNIR) to monitor hemodynamic changes within anterior prefrontal cortex during tangram tasks. Twelve healthy subjects were asked to solve a series of computerized tangram puzzles and control tasks that required same geometric shape manipulation without problem solving. Total hemoglobin (HbT) concentration changes indicated a significant increase during tangram problem solving in the right hemisphere. Moreover, HbT changes during failed trials (when no solution found) were significantly higher compared to successful trials. These preliminary results suggest that fNIR can be used to assess cortical activation changes induced by geometric problem solving. Since fNIR is safe, wearable and can be used in ecologically valid environments such as classrooms, this neuroimaging tool may help to improve and optimize learning in educational settings.
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Details
- Title
- Tangram solved? Prefrontal cortex activation analysis during geometric problem solving
- Creators
- Hasan Ayaz - Drexel University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health SystemsPatricia A Shewokis - Drexel University, College of Nursing and Health ProfessionsMeltem Izzetoğlu - Drexel University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health SystemsMurat P Çakır - Middle East Technical UniversityBanu Onaral - Drexel University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems
- Publication Details
- Conference proceedings (IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Conf.), v 2012, pp 4724-4727
- Conference
- 2012 Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (San Diego, California, United States, 28 Aug 2012–01 Sep 2012)
- Publisher
- The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE); United States
- Number of pages
- 4
- Resource Type
- Conference paper
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems; Nutrition Sciences; Health Sciences Division
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000313296504232
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84870856697
- Other Identifier
- 9781457717871; 1457717875; 991014878095104721
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- Web of Science research areas
- Engineering, Biomedical
- Engineering, Electrical & Electronic