Nepal, July 6 -- Struggle with math? A gentle jolt to the brain might help.

A new study published in PLOS Biology suggests that mild electrical stimulation can boost arithmetic performance -- and offers fresh insight into the brain mechanisms behind mathematical ability, along with a potential way to optimize learning.

The findings could eventually help narrow cognitive gaps and help build a more intellectually equitable society, the authors argue.

"Different people have different brains, and their brains control a lot in their life," said Roi Cohen Kadosh, a neuroscientist at the University of Surrey who led the research.

"We think about the environment -- if you go to the right school, if you have the right teacher -- but it's also ...