Abstract: Objective To explore the characteristics of brain activation when solving simple multiplication and complex multiplication tasks. Methods From June, 2010 to June, 2012, Thirteen normal subjects completed four functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments, including control tasks, visuospatial memory tasks, simple (single-digit) multiplication tasks and complex (multi-digit) multiplication tasks. Results Compared with the control tasks, visuospatial memory tasks activated the bilateral occipital lobe, the right precuneus and superior parietal lobe; simple multiplication tasks activated the bilateral middle occipital gyri, the left superior parietal lobe, the left cingulate gyrus, the left middle frontal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus; complex multiplication tasks activated the right superior parietal lobe, the right inferior frontal gyrus, and the bilateral middle frontal gyri. Conclusion A right parieto-frontal network is involved in the multi-digit multiplication, which supports the containing of the spatial layout information.

Key words: multiplication, single-digit, multi-digit, arithmetic, functional magnetic resonance imaging