Mathematics anxiety reduces default mode network deactivation in response to numerical tasks.

ABSTRACT: Mathematics anxiety is negatively related to mathematics performance, thereby threatening the professional success. Preoccupation with the emotional content of the stimuli may consume working memory resources, which may be reflected in decreased deactivation of areas associated with the default mode network (DMN) activated during self-referential and emotional processing. The common problem is that math anxiety is usually associated with poor math performance, so that any group differences are difficult to interpret. Here we compared the BOLD-response of 18 participants with high (HMAs) and 18 participants with low mathematics anxiety (LMAs) matched for their mathematical performance to two numerical tasks (number comparison, number bisection). During both tasks, we found stronger deactiva

SUBMITTER: Pletzer B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4404831 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature