Mathematical abilities in development and neuroanatomical correlates

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Mathematical abilities in development and neuroanatomical correlates GIULIA CRISTOFORETTI1*, Helena Verhelst1, Wim Fias1 and Denes Szucs2 1 Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium 2 Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom Currently, dominant cognitive neuroscience theories of developmental dyscalculia (DD) suggest that it is related to the domain-specific impairment of the simple number processing ability (number sense) of the brain, residing in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) (Piazza et al., 2010; Isaac et al., 2001). However, behavioral and neuroimaging research also suggests that poor mathematical abilities are linked to the disruption of other functions of the IPS. Indeed, DD relates to a robust impairment of various cognitive functions implemented by the extended brain network underlying mathematics such as visuospatial short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM), both linked to the IPS, and inhibition function (Szucs et al. 2013, Szucs et al., 2014). In the current imaging study, we investigate mathematical abilities and the neuroanatomical basis taking these cognitive functions into account. Structural and diffusion tensor imaging data from 33 children (9-10 years) were collected. Children were administered standardized test measures of mathematics abilities, reading, IQ; further measures on visuospatial STM and WM, number sense and inhibition function have been collected. At the behavioral level, mathematical performance has a positive correlation with visuospatial STM and WM and does not correlate with number sense measures. Preliminary results at the grey matter level in the right hemisphere show that mathematical performance and visuospatial WM scores correlate negatively with grey matter volume of the IPS. No correlation is observed between IPS volume and number sense measures. These results reveal new insights about poor mathematical abilities related to the impairment of visuospatial STM and WM rather than magnitude representation (number sense). References Isaacs, E. B., Edmonds, C. J., Lucas, A., & Gadian, D. G. (2001). Calculation difficulties in children of very low birthweight: A neural correlate. Brain, 124, 1701–1707. Piazza M., Facoetti A., Trussardi A.N., Berteletti I., Conte S., Lucangeli D., et al. (2010). Developmental trajectory of number acuity reveals a severe impairment in developmental dyscalculia. Cognition, 116(1), 33-41. Szucs D., Devine A., Soltesz F., Nobes A., Gabriel F. (2013). Developmental dyscalculia is related to visuo-spatial memory and inhibition impairment. Cortex, 49(10), 2674-88. Szűcs D., Devine A., Soltesz F., Nobes A., Gabriel F. (2014., Cognitive components of a mathematical processing network in 9-year-old children. Developmental Science, 17, 506-524 Keywords: number cognition, Visual working and short-term memory, Intraparietal sulcus (IPS), DTI, Developmental cognitive neurosceince Conference: 13th National Congress of the Belgian Society for Neuroscience , Brussels, Belgium, 24 May - 24 May, 2019. Presentation Type: Poster presentation Topic: Behavioral/Systems Neuroscience Citation: CRISTOFORETTI G, Verhelst H, Fias W and Szucs D (2019). Mathematical abilities in development and neuroanatomical correlates. Front. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: 13th National Congress of the Belgian Society for Neuroscience . doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2019.96.00040 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 24 Apr 2019; Published Online: 27 Sep 2019. * Correspondence: Mrs. GIULIA CRISTOFORETTI, Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, East Flanders, 9000, Belgium, giulia.cristoforetti@ugent.be Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers GIULIA CRISTOFORETTI Helena Verhelst Wim Fias Denes Szucs Google GIULIA CRISTOFORETTI Helena Verhelst Wim Fias Denes Szucs Google Scholar GIULIA CRISTOFORETTI Helena Verhelst Wim Fias Denes Szucs PubMed GIULIA CRISTOFORETTI Helena Verhelst Wim Fias Denes Szucs Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.