PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
As traditional handwriting is progressively being replaced by digital devices, it is essential to investigate the implications for the human brain. Brain electrical activity was recorded in 36 university students as they were handwriting visually presented words using a digital pen and typewriting the words on a keyboard. Connectivity analyses were performed on EEG data recorded with a 256-channel sensor array. When writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns were far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard, as shown by widespread theta/alpha connectivity coherence patterns between network hubs and nodes in parietal and central brain regions. Existing literature indicates that connectivity patterns in these brain areas and at such frequencies are crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and, therefore, are beneficial for learning. Our findings suggest that the spatiotemporal pattern from visual and proprioceptive information obtained through the precisely controlled hand movements when using a pen, contribute extensively to the brain\'s connectivity patterns that promote learning. We urge that children, from an early age, must be exposed to handwriting activities in school to establish the neuronal connectivity patterns that provide the brain with optimal conditions for learning. Although it is vital to maintain handwriting practice at school, it is also important to keep up with continuously developing technological advances. Therefore, both teachers and students should be aware of which practice has the best learning effect in what context, for example when taking lecture notes or when writing an essay.
摘要：
随着传统的手写逐渐被数字设备所取代，研究对人类大脑的影响是至关重要的。在36名大学生中记录了脑电活动，因为他们使用数字笔手写视觉呈现的单词并在键盘上打字。对使用256通道传感器阵列记录的EEG数据进行连通性分析。手写时，大脑连接模式远比在键盘上打字时复杂得多，如在顶叶和中央大脑区域的网络集线器和节点之间广泛的theta/alpha连接相干模式所示。现有文献表明，这些大脑区域和频率的连接模式对于记忆形成和编码新信息至关重要，因此,有利于学习。我们的发现表明，使用笔时通过精确控制的手部运动获得的视觉和本体感受信息的时空模式，广泛有助于促进学习的大脑连接模式。我们敦促孩子们，从很小的时候开始，必须在学校进行手写活动，以建立神经元连接模式，为大脑提供最佳的学习条件。尽管在学校保持手写练习至关重要，跟上不断发展的技术进步也很重要。因此,教师和学生都应该意识到在什么样的背景下，哪种练习有最好的学习效果，例如，在做课堂笔记或写论文时。
