BIOMECHANICS, BIOENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY Seminar

PROGRAM

Plan rada Seminara iz Biomehanike, bioinžinjeringa i matematičke biologije za JANUAR 2023.

Ponedeljak, 16.01.2023. u 16:00, Online
Anđelka Hedrih, Mathematical Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Belgrade, Serbia
VIDEO GAMES AND MATHEMATICS – BRAIN ACTIVITY
Since the discovery of Brodmann's fields in 1909 and the lateralization of brain functions, we still do not know everything about the way the human brain functions. Solving numerical mathematical problems will activate parts of the brain different from those that are activated when solving geometric problems.
The brains of people who deal with advanced mathematics, function in a different way than the brains of non-mathematicians primarily in terms of which parts of the brain are predominantly active for solving numerical tasks and word processing. The main method to study effects of video gaming on the brain is functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI).
In this presentation, we will try to answer certain questions: which parts of the brain are active when solving numerical and geometric mathematical problems, which parts of the brain are most active when playing certain types of video games?; can playing certain types of video games improve math skills and vice versa: can mathematical skills be improve by playing video games? Do people who play video games have better decision-making skills and better visuospatial orientation? Does doing math increase your decision making skills?
Events in the virtual space trigger emotions and physiological mechanisms that secrete various hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, but also hormones-neurotransmitters related to the feeling of reward and satisfaction - serotonin and dopamine. How these physiological changes affect the brain function will be discussed.
There are positive and negative effects of gaming on brain development and functioning. Video games can enhance attention, increase intelligence, improve memory, enhance problem-solving skills, boost learning, encourage creativity, but also can have some negative health effects. What it depends on and what is the right measure of playing video games and/or doing math will be discussed in this talk.