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A new study by researchers from University Of Surrey, Swansea University, and the University of Oxford claims mild, carefully-controlled electrical shocks to the brain can improve a person’s math skills. They also added, in a massive understatement, that this technology is not yet ready for use at home.
In the study, published Tuesday in the journal PLOS Biology, the researchers wrote, “To deepen our understanding of the mechanisms driving mathematical learning, we employed a novel approach integrating double-blind excitatory neurostimulation — high-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) — and examined its effect at the behavioral, functional, and neurochemical levels.”
What that means is that when the researchers applied electrical stimulation to the brains of dozens of University of Oxford students using electrode-fitted caps (tRNS) over five days of testing, low performers in math scored 25 to 29 percent higher. High performers, on the other hand, saw little to no change in their math scores.
“So far, most efforts to improve education have focused on changing the environment — training teachers, redesigning curricula — while largely overlooking the learner’s neurobiology,” said Professor Roi Cohen Kadosh of the University of Surrey, senior author of the study, according to The Times. “Yet a growing body of research suggests that biological factors can explain educational outcomes in mathematics more powerfully than environmental ones.”
There are some caveats, however. Kadosh admitted that the study’s sample size of 72 students was rather small. He also pointed out that much work is still needed before applying this technique in real-world environments to make sure it is safe and practical to use.
That being said, he also thinks the results of the study show promise.
“By integrating insights from psychology, neuroscience and education to develop innovative techniques that address these neurobiological constraints, we can help more people reach their potential, broaden access to diverse career pathways and reduce long-term inequalities in income, health and well-being,” he said.