Mathematical expressions mainly include arithmetic (such as 8 − (1 + 3)) and algebra (such as a − (b + c)). Previous studies have shown that both algebraic processing and arithmetic involved the bilateral parietal brain regions. Although previous studies have revealed that algebra was dissociated from arithmetic, the neural bases of the dissociation between algebraic processing and arithmetic is still unclear. The present study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify the specific brain networks for algebraic and arithmetic processing. Using fMRI, this study scanned 30 undergraduates and directly compared the brain activation during algebra and arithmetic. Brain activations, single-trial (item-wise) interindividual correlation and mean-trial interindividual correlation related to algebra processing were compared with those related to arithmetic. The functional connectivity was analyzed by a seed-based region of interest (ROI)-to-ROI analysis. Brain activation analyses showed that algebra elicited greater activation in the angular gyrus and arithmetic elicited greater activation in the bilateral supplementary motor area, left insula, and left inferior parietal lobule. Interindividual single-trial brain-behavior correlation revealed significant brain-behavior correlations in the semantic network, including the middle temporal gyri, inferior frontal gyri, dorsomedial prefrontal cortices, and left angular gyrus, for algebra. For arithmetic, the significant brain-behavior correlations were located in the phonological network, including the precentral gyrus and supplementary motor area, and in the visuospatial network, including the bilateral superior parietal lobules. For algebra, significant positive functional connectivity was observed between the visuospatial network and semantic network, whereas for arithmetic, significant positive functional connectivity was observed only between the visuospatial network and phonological network. These findings suggest that algebra relies on the semantic network and conversely, arithmetic relies on the phonological and visuospatial networks.

中文翻译：

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代数与大脑语义网络中的算术分离

数学表达式主要包括算术（如 8 - (1 + 3)）和代数（如 a - (b + c)）。以前的研究表明，代数处理和算术都涉及双边顶叶区域。尽管之前的研究表明代数与算术分离，但代数处理与算术分离的神经基础仍不清楚。本研究使用功能磁共振成像 (fMRI) 来识别代数和算术处理的特定大脑网络。这项研究使用 fMRI 扫描了 30 名本科生，并直接比较了代数和算术期间的大脑激活情况。大脑激活，将与代数处理相关的单次试验（逐项）个体间相关性和平均试验个体间相关性与算术相关性进行了比较。通过基于种子的感兴趣区域 (ROI) 到 ROI 分析来分析功能连接性。脑激活分析表明，代数在角回中引起了更大的激活，而算术在双侧辅助运动区、左岛叶和左顶叶下叶中引起了更大的激活。个体间单次试验脑行为相关性揭示了语义网络中显着的脑行为相关性，包括代数的中颞回、额下回、背内侧前额叶皮质和左角回。对于算术，显着的大脑行为相关性位于语音网络中，包括中央前回和补充运动区，以及视觉空间网络，包括双侧顶叶上叶。对于代数，在视觉空间网络和语义网络之间观察到显着的正功能连接，而对于算术，仅在视觉空间网络和语音网络之间观察到显着的正功能连接。这些发现表明代数依赖于语义网络，相反，算术依赖于语音和视觉空间网络。在视觉空间网络和语义网络之间观察到显着的正功能连接，而对于算术，仅在视觉空间网络和语音网络之间观察到显着的正功能连接。这些发现表明代数依赖于语义网络，相反，算术依赖于语音和视觉空间网络。在视觉空间网络和语义网络之间观察到显着的正功能连接，而对于算术，仅在视觉空间网络和语音网络之间观察到显着的正功能连接。这些发现表明代数依赖于语义网络，相反，算术依赖于语音和视觉空间网络。