Some current findings on brain characteristics of the mathematically gifted adolescent

A number of studies investigating the brain characteristics of mathematically gifted youth indicate that they possess a unique functional organisation as compared to those of average math ability (O'Boyle, et al., 1995). Specifically, data from a variety of behavioural and psychophysiological experiments tend to suggest enhanced processing reliance on the right cerebral hemisphere and heightened interhemispheric communication, as unique functional characteristics of the math gifted brain, with the later providing supplemental processing resources and enhanced cooperation between the cerebral hemispheres. Notably, these brain differences may have important implications for the nature and timing of mathematics instruction.