Education

Brains Doing Math Add To Knowledge of ADHD

May 09, 2001 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Images of brain scans taken while subjects performed mathematical calculations.
—Courtesy of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center

These images of brain scans were taken while the subjects performed mathematical calculations involving serial addition. The results show significant differences between the thought processes of the subjects with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and those without adhd. The yellow spots show regions of the brain where blood flow increased during performance of the task.

Each image, taken using a positron emission tomography, or PET, scan, is based on averaged images from a group of six subjects with ADHD and six control subjects. In these brain scans, activity in the right hemi-sphere is displayed on the left side of the image, and left-hemisphere activity is displayed on the right side.

The subjects without ADHD showed more activity in the frontal part of the brain that is associated with attention. Also, those subjects used the middle regions of their brains associated with processing verbal strategies. The researcher, Julie Schweitzer, says that is because the subjects without ADHD seemed to hear the auditory prompt and talk themselves through the problem using words.

In contrast, the subjects with adhd used different parts of their brains, associated with visualization. Schweitzer says some of the subjects diagnosed with the disorder told her after the test that they had pic-tured images in their heads—for example, a chalkboard with numbers written on it—to help in doing the calculations.

The data were collected between 1997 and 1999. The study appeared in the February 2000 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.


SOURCE: The Maryland Psychiatric Research Center’s Web page on Julie Schweitzer’s work, at www.umaryland.edu/mprc/faculty/schweitzer.html.

Coverage of research is underwritten in part by a grant from the Spencer Foundation.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the May 09, 2001 edition of Education Week as Brains Doing Math Add To Knowledge of ADHD

Events

Ed-Tech Policy Webinar Artificial Intelligence in Practice: Building a Roadmap for AI Use in Schools
AI in education: game-changer or classroom chaos? Join our webinar & learn how to navigate this evolving tech responsibly.
Education Webinar Developing and Executing Impactful Research Campaigns to Fuel Your Ed Marketing Strategy 
Develop impactful research campaigns to fuel your marketing. Join the EdWeek Research Center for a webinar with actionable take-aways for companies who sell to K-12 districts.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Privacy & Security Webinar
Navigating Cybersecurity: Securing District Documents and Data
Learn how K-12 districts are addressing the challenges of maintaining a secure tech environment, managing documents and data, automating critical processes, and doing it all with limited resources.
Content provided by Softdocs

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: March 13, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 7, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: January 31, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read