The finding could lead to new, long-lasting treatments for people with moderate to severe math impairments such as dyscalculia, or "math dyslexia." This learning disability prevents a person from grasping even simple math concepts, according to study leader Roi Cohen Kadosh, a neuroscientist at the University of Oxford in the U.K.

Treating such conditions is "exactly our aim," Cohen Kadosh said.

The team used a noninvasive method called transcranial direct current stimulation to apply a weak current to the brains of 15 healthy adult volunteers for six days as they took part in a learning task. The current was applied using pads on the scalp.

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