Cognitive Event-Related Potentials in Solving Arithmetic Tasks by Adolescents Living in Different Regions of Northern Russia

Abstract

Mathematical problem solving is an explicitly formed skill formed during school education. The goal of the work was to study cognitive event-related potentials (ERPs) in solving mathematical equations (addition, subtraction) in adolescents (12–16 years of age) living in different regions of northern Russia: Arkhangelsk (n = 14) and Murmansk (non-Sami, n = 17; Sami, n = 13) regions. The subjects were asked to solve delayed answer verification tasks: the trial consisted of two stimuli: the trial started with presenting a problem for 400 ms; then, after 700 ms, an answer was presented, either correct or incorrect one. The subjects had to press the left mouse button at correct answer. Differences in the ERP amplitude were observed at the interval of 220–270 ms after presentation of the first stimulus due to shorter P2–N3 complex latency in adolescents from the Circumpolar region as compared with adolescents from the Polar region. Differences in the amplitudes of the late positive component at the interval of 430–530 ms were also observed (greater values were observed in the Sami adolescents). Differences between the groups were observed at presentation of a correct solution and were characterized by the greater latency of the negative ERP component in frontal, central, and parietal areas in the adolescents living in the Polar region. Thus, the characteristics of the ERP components during mathematical problem solving show differences probably related to the regional aspects of development in children.