Researchers at the University of Oxford, UK, have devised a new formula to predict the ability of children and young adults to develop skills in the exact sciences. For this purpose, the group of scientists counts the number of neurotransmitters for each individual, according to a study published in the scientific journal PLOS Biology.
It should be noted that neurotransmitters are essential chemicals for the functioning of the brain, as they are responsible for transmitting messages between neurons and other types of cells. In the case of the British research, two specific neurotransmitters were analyzed: glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Both are already known to be related to the plasticity of the brain and the ability to learn.
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Glutamate and GABA play complementary roles in the brain. That’s because glutamate excites neurons, while GABA inhibits them. In balancing the activities of the two, researchers understand that it is possible to acquire and learn new information.
Is this action immutable?
In the new research, scientists examined these neurotransmitters for longer than a year, after children and young adults had grown. “Our cross-sectional and longitudinal study suggests that the relationship between plasticity, brain excitability, and inhibition at different stages is unlikely to be consistent,” explained neuroscientist Roy Cohen Kadosh from the University of Oxford.
This discovery sets an interesting precedent for improving skills, such as mathematics. In addition, the natural relationship between these neurotransmitters — glutamate and GABA — and cognitive ability appears to change over time.
Study with children and young people about ability in mathematics
In the study, 255 volunteers aged at least six years – as well as college students – were followed for a year and a half. The survey used data from two math tests—the first taken at study entry and the second at the last participation period—and an MRI scan.
Analyzes showed that levels of neurotransmitters recorded in the first test could predict athletic ability in subsequent tests. In children, higher GABA levels and lower glutamate levels were associated with better math outcomes, but in older volunteers, those who showed lower levels of GABA and higher levels of glutamate performed better on math tasks.
“Our finding of developmental changes in the association between GABA and glutamate and academic performance highlights a general, unknown principle of plasticity,” Kadosh noted. In the future, these findings may help teachers find curricula that get children interested in math, especially for the group with less “natural” abilities. However, more research is still needed to understand these issues.
Published in the scientific journal PLOS Biology, the full study can be seen on the relationship between ability in hard science and the number of neurotransmitters over here.
Source: Science alert
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Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.