New York, Aug 13 (IANS) If you want your kids to shine in
maths, allow them play time as researchers have found that fitness
enhances math skills by aiding the development of brain structures
that contribute to mathematics achievement.
Children who are aerobically fit tend to have significantly thinner
gray matter - the outermost layer of brain cells in the cerebrum --
associated with better mathematics performance, the findings
showed.
"Gray matter thinning is the sculpting of a fully formed, healthy
brain. The theory is that the brain is pruning away unnecessary
connections and strengthening useful connections," said lead
researcher Laura Chaddock-Heyman from the University of Illinois in
the US.
Previous studies have shown that gray matter thinning is associated
with better reasoning and thinking skills, Chaddock-Heyman
said.
"We show, for the first time, that aerobic fitness may play a role
in this cortical thinning," she pointed out.
The analysis included 48 nine and 10-year-old children, all of whom
had completed a maximal oxygen uptake fitness test on a
treadmill.
Half of the children (the higher fit kids) were at or above the
70th percentile for aerobic fitness, and half (the lower fit kids)
were at or below the 30th percentile.
The researchers imaged the children's brains using MRI and tested
their math, reading and spelling skills.
The team found differences in math skills and cortical brain
structure between the higher fit and lower fit children.
In particular, thinner gray matter corresponded to better math
performance in the higher fit kids.
No significant fitness associated differences in reading or
spelling aptitude were detected.
The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.
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