Abstract
In this chapter, I provide an overview of what has been learned from cognitive neuroscience research about the way in which numerical symbols (e.g., Arabic numerals) are represented in the brain. To achieve this, I first review the empirical research literature on how numbers are represented in the brain, both in terms of their meaning and perceptual attributes. Next, I examine what is known about developmental changes in the brain representation of number symbols and how individual differences in symbolic number processing skills (such as mental arithmetic) relate to variability in brain activation. I subsequently explore what is known about how numerical symbols are linked to nonsymbolic representations of numerical quantity (e.g., dot arrays) and conclude that the present evidence does not provide strong support for the notion that symbolic and nonsymbolic representations of numerical quantity are tightly connected in the brain. Finally, I discuss several future directions for research on the brain's representation of number symbols.
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