Functional MR Imaging

Development of cerebral representations for number processing in normally achieving children and children with developmental dyscalculia

Mathematical reasoning represents an important component of higher order cognition. However, little is known about developmental plastic changes in the brain induced by mathematical learning and training during childhood. This project focused on the development of cerebral representations of number in typically achieving children and children with developmental dyscalculia (DD). DD is a specific learning disability affecting the acquisition of arithmetic skills in about 3-6% of school children.

We used fMRI to examine developmental changes and DD-related abnormalities in brain activation by comparing typically achieving children of different ages (3rd grade and 6th grade school children), age-matched DD children, and healthy adults.

Changes in cortical activation patterns reflecting experience driven maturational processes and fine-tuning of neural systems could be observed in different age groups from childhood to adulthood. Increasing expertise and automated processing of mathematical tasks coincided with improving performance as well as with increasing brain activation in task-specific regions (intraparietal sulcus, left inferior frontal gyrus) and decreasing activation in supporting brain areas associated with working memory and attention load (anterior cingulate gyrus). Brain activation of children with DD showed higher variance and was weaker in regions supporting the analog magnitude system. Our results suggest that the effectiveness of calculation may depend on the development of automated access to quantity related brain regions, and their disorganization can create an impairment in arithmetic.

Contacts

Dr. sc. nat. Karin Kucian
karin.kuciankispi.uzh.ch

Prof. Dr. med. Dipl. Päd. Michael von Aster
m.asterdrk-kliniken-westend.de

Prof. Dr. Ernst Martin
ernst.martinkispi.uzh.ch

Funding Source

Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ)
Forschungskredit der UZH
Hartmann-Müller Foundation for Medical Research Zurich

Publications

Kucian K, von Aster M, Loenneker T, Dietrich T, Martin E (2008). Development of neural networks for exact and approximative calculation: an fMRI study. Developmental Neuropsychology, 33(4): 447-473.

Rotzer S, Kucian K*, Martin E, Von Aster M, Klaver P, Loenneker T (2008). Optimized voxel-based morphometry in children with developmental dyscalculia. Neuroimage, 39(1): 417-422.

Kucian K, von Aster M, Loenneker T, Dietrich T, Mast FW, Martin E (2007). Brain Activation during Mental Rotation School Children and Adults. Journal of Neural Transmission, 114: 675-686.

Kucian K, Loenneker T, Dietrich T, Dosch M, Martin E, Von Aster M (2006). Impaired neural networks for approximate calculation in dyscalculic children: a functional MRI study. Behavioral and Brain Functions, 2: 31.

von Aster, M., Kucian, K., Martin, E. (2006). Brain Development and Dyscalculia. Sprache-Stimme-Gehör 30, 154-159.

von Aster M, Kucian K, Schweiter M, Martin E. (2005): Rechenstörungen im Kindesalter. Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde, 153 (7): 613-622.

Kucian K, Loenneker T, Dietrich T, Martin E, von Aster MG. (2005): Gender Differences in Brain Activation Patterns during Mental Rotation and Number Related Cognitive Tasks. Psychology Science, 47(1): 112-131.

Kucian K, von Aster M. (2005). Dem Gehirn beim Rechnen zuschauen: Ergebnisse der funktionellen Bildgebung. In: von Aster MG, Lorenz JH, editors. Rechenstörungen bei Kindern. Neurowissenschaft, Psychologie, Pädagogik. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Rupprecht.

von Aster, M., Kucian, K., Schweiter, M., Martin, E. (2005). Rechenstörungen im Kindesalter. Monatszeitschrift Kinderheilkunde, 153: 614-622.