Effects of long-term practice and task complexity on brain activities when performing abacus-based mental calculations: a PET study

Wu, Tung Hsin; Chen, Chialin; Huang, Yen‐Hua; Liu, Ru‐Shi; Hsieh, Jen Chuen; Lee, Jason J.S.

doi:10.1007/s00259-008-0949-0

Cited by 20 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The present result is consistent with previous functional imaging studies that reported activation in the SPL during mental calculation and digit memory tasks in abacus users (Tanaka et al, 2002; Hanakawa et al, 2003; Chen et al, 2006; Wu et al, 2009). It is possible that a spatial representation of numbers is developed through abacus practice, which involves rule-based visuo motor processing, and utilized in mental calculation and digit memory tasks, because it is more efficient to mentally manipulate large numbers using a spatial representation than a sequentially organized phonological representation (Hatano et al, 1977; Hatano and Osawa, 1983 Hatano et al, 1987; Hatta et al, 1989; Hishitani, 1990; Tanaka et al, 2008; Frank and Barner, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…In contrast, activity in the left SPL ( x = −20, y = −66, z = 66; t = 3.60, cluster size = 10, p svc < 0.05) was significantly greater at 13 months compared with 6 months after her stroke (Figure 6B). Activity in the left SPL was observed in the previous functional imaging studies of mental calculation tasks in abacus experts (Hanakawa et al, 2003; Chen et al, 2006; Wu et al, 2009). These functional MRI results were very consistent with the patient’s subjective report that she was able to shift the calculation strategy from a phonological – based to a mental abacus – based strategy according to her level of recovery from the stroke.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 58%

“…Several behavioral and neuroimaging studies have attempted to examine the neural correlates of the calculation strategy employed by abacus users (Hatta and Ikeda, 1988; Tanaka et al, 2002, 2008; Hanakawa et al, 2003; Chen et al, 2006; Wu et al, 2009; Hu et al, 2011; Ku et al, 2012). For example, recent neuroimaging studies have reported activation in the bilateral dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) and inferior and superior parietal lobule (IPL and SPL, respectively) during mental calculation and digit memory tasks in abacus users (Tanaka et al, 2002; Hanakawa et al, 2003; Chen et al, 2006; Wu et al, 2009; Ku et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, recent neuroimaging studies have reported activation in the bilateral dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) and inferior and superior parietal lobule (IPL and SPL, respectively) during mental calculation and digit memory tasks in abacus users (Tanaka et al, 2002; Hanakawa et al, 2003; Chen et al, 2006; Wu et al, 2009; Ku et al, 2012). However, there have been no neuropsychological studies that report deficits in mental abacus ability after focal brain injury.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Abacus in the Brain: A Longitudinal Functional MRI Study of a Skilled Abacus User with a Right Hemispheric Lesion

Tanaka¹,

Seki²,

Hanakawa³

et al. 2012

Front. Psychology

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The abacus, a traditional physical calculation device, is still widely used in Asian countries. Previous behavioral work has shown that skilled abacus users perform rapid and precise mental arithmetic by manipulating a mental representation of an abacus, which is based on visual imagery. However, its neurophysiological basis remains unclear. Here, we report the case of a patient who was a good abacus user, but transiently lost her “mental abacus” and superior arithmetic performance after a stroke owing to a right hemispheric lesion including the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments were conducted 6 and 13 months after her stroke. In the mental calculation task, her brain activity was shifted from the language-related areas, including Broca’s area and the left dorsolateral prefrontal and IPLs, to the visuospatial-related brain areas including the left superior parietal lobule (SPL), according to the recovery of her arithmetic abilities. In the digit memory task, activities in the bilateral SPL, and right visual association cortex were also observed after recovery. The shift of brain activities was consistent with her subjective report that she was able to shift the calculation strategy from linguistic to visuospatial as her mental abacus became stable again. In a behavioral experiment using an interference paradigm, a visual presentation of an abacus picture, but not a human face picture, interfered with the performance of her digit memory, confirming her use of the mental abacus after recovery. This is the first case report on the impairment of the mental abacus by a brain lesion and on recovery-related brain activity. We named this rare case “abacus-based acalculia.” Together with previous neuroimaging studies, the present result suggests an important role for the PMd and parietal cortex in the superior arithmetic ability of abacus users.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 58%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Abacus in the Brain: A Longitudinal Functional MRI Study of a Skilled Abacus User with a Right Hemispheric Lesion

Tanaka¹,

Seki²,

Hanakawa³

et al. 2012

Front. Psychology

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“…Experiment 1). Imaging studies indeed showed that the mental abacus operation is associated with enhanced activity in the brain areas relevant for visuospatial information processing (e.g., Hanakawa, Honda, Okada, Fukuyama, & Shibasaki, 2003;Wu et al, 2009). Hence, the distinct Chinese training regimens may lead to distinct mental processes and representations across operations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of phonological and visual working memory in complex arithmetic for Chinese- and Canadian-educated adults

Imbo

LeFevre

2010

Memory & Cognition

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Two experiments were conducted to test cultural differences in the role of phonological and visual working memory in complex arithmetic. Canadian-and Chinese-educated students solved complex subtraction problems (e.g., 85 27; Experiment 1) and complex multiplication problems (e.g., 6 13; Experiment 2) under phonological and visual working memory loads. Problem complexity (i.e., borrow or carry operations) and presentation format (i.e., horizontal vs. vertical) were also manipulated. The results showed that both Chinese-and Canadian-educated participants relied on both phonological and visual working memory resources when solving complex subtraction and multiplication problems. Selective involvement of phonological and visual working memory as a function of operation (Lee & Kang, 2002) or presentation format (Trbovich & LeFev re, 2003) was found only for Chinese-educated participants and not for Canadian-educated participants, calling into question the generalizability of these findings across arithmetic operations and cultural groups.

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Neural correlates of improved inductive reasoning ability in abacus‐trained children: A resting state fMRI study

et al. 2021

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Abacus‐based mental calculation (AMC) training may improve mathematics‐related abilities and transfer to other cognitive domains. Thus, it was hypothesized that inductive reasoning abilities can be improved by AMC training given the overlapping cognitive processes and neural correlates between AMC and inductive reasoning. The aim of the current study was to examine the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of this possible adaption by resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs‐fMRI). Sixty‐three children were randomly assigned to either the AMC‐trained or the nontrained group. The AMC‐trained group was required to perform abacus training for 2 hours per week for 5 years whereas the nontrained group was not required to perform any abacus training. Each participant's rs‐fMRI data were collected after abacus training, and regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis was performed to determine the neural activity differences between groups. The participants' posttraining mathematical ability, intelligence quotients, and inductive reasoning ability were recorded and evaluated. The results revealed that AMC‐trained children exhibited a significantly higher mathematical ability and inductive reasoning performance and higher ReHo in the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC) compared to the nontrained group. In particular, the increased ReHo in the RLPFC was found to be positively correlated with improved inductive reasoning performance. Our findings suggest that rs‐fMRI may reflect the modulation of training in task‐related networks.

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Effects of long-term practice and task complexity on brain activities when performing abacus-based mental calculations: a PET study

Abstract: In conclusion, after intensive training and practice, the neural pathways in an abacus expert have been connected more effectively for performing the number encoding and retrieval that are required in abacus tasks, resulting in exceptional mental computational ability.

Cited by 20 publications

References 24 publications

Abacus in the Brain: A Longitudinal Functional MRI Study of a Skilled Abacus User with a Right Hemispheric Lesion

Abacus in the Brain: A Longitudinal Functional MRI Study of a Skilled Abacus User with a Right Hemispheric Lesion

The role of phonological and visual working memory in complex arithmetic for Chinese- and Canadian-educated adults

Neural correlates of improved inductive reasoning ability in abacus‐trained children: A resting state fMRI study

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