The Neural Correlates of the Core Number Systems Contribute to Mathematical Ability in Adolescence

Abreu-Mendoza, Roberto A.; Zarabozo‐Hurtado, Daniel; Chamorro, Yaira; Vazquez, Paloma; Matute, Esmeralda; Fandakova, Yana

doi:10.31234/osf.io/96tuy

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Only two studies to date have examined functional connectivity in adolescents, both in task-based designs. In Abreu-Mendoza et al (2020), functional connectivity among areas activated in a non-symbolic comparison task was negatively associated with math performance in adolescents aged 15 to 17. In particular, adolescents with low ability showed higher connectivity in a set of posterior regions: the lateral occipital cortex, the cuneal cortex, the lingual gyrus, and the precuneus.…”

Section: Resting-state Ips Connectivity and Math Abilitymentioning

confidence: 93%

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Parietal and hippocampal hyper-connectivity is associated with low math achievement in adolescence – a preliminary study

Ra¹,

Pincus²,

Chamorro³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Mathematical cognition requires coordinated activity across multiple brain regions, leading to the emergence of resting-state functional connectivity as a method for studying the neural basis of differences in mathematical achievement. Hyper-connectivity of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), a key locus of mathematical and numerical processing, has been associated with poor mathematical skills in childhood, whereas greater connectivity has been related to better performance in adulthood. No studies to date have considered its role in adolescence. Further, hippocampal connectivity can predict mathematical learning, yet no studies have considered its contributions to contemporaneous measures of math achievement. Here, we used seed-based resting-state fMRI analyses to examine IPS and hippocampal intrinsic functional connectivity relations to math achievement in a group of 31 adolescents (mean age=16.42 years, range 15-17), whose math performance spanned the 1% to 99% percentile. After controlling for IQ, IPS connectivity was negatively related to math achievement, akin to findings in children. However, the specific temporooccipital regions, were more akin to the posterior loci implicated in adults. Hippocampal connectivity with frontal regions was also negatively correlated with concurrent math measures, which contrasts with results from learning studies. Finally, hyper-connectivity was not a global feature of low math performance, as connectivity of Heschl’s gyrus, a control seed not involved in math cognition, was not modulated by math performance. Together, our results point to adolescence as a transitional stage in which patterns found in childhood and adulthood can be observed; most notably, hyper-connectivity continues to be related to low math ability in this period.

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Section: Resting-state Ips Connectivity and Math Abilitymentioning

confidence: 93%

“…During this last sequence, participants saw a white fixation cross at the center of a black screen and were instructed to 'Look at the fixation cross and try not to think of anything in particular.' Task-based imaging results are reported elsewhere (Abreu-Mendoza et al, 2020).…”

Section: Mri Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parietal and hippocampal hyper-connectivity is associated with low math achievement in adolescence – a preliminary study

Ra¹,

Pincus²,

Chamorro³

et al. 2021

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The session ended with a 10‐min resting‐state sequence. During this last sequence, participants saw a white fixation cross at the center of a black screen and were instructed to “Look at the fixation cross and try not to think of anything in particular.” Task‐based imaging results are reported elsewhere (Abreu‐Mendoza et al., 2020). A neuroradiologist inspected the anatomical images to rule out the presence of neuro‐pathologies.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Participants were part of a large-scale research project that aimed to obtain normative scores for the mathematical abilities in Mexican adolescents (Abreu-Mendoza et al, 2019). A subsample of these students completed both an fMRI task run (reported elsewhere, Abreu-Mendoza et al, 2020) and the resting state run reported here. Adolescents from three public high schools in Guadalajara, Mexico, participated in the normative study.…”

Section: Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Abreu‐Mendoza et al. (2020), functional connectivity among areas activated in a non‐symbolic comparison task was negatively associated with math performance in adolescents aged 15–17. In particular, adolescents with low ability showed higher connectivity in a set of posterior regions: the lateral occipital cortex, the cuneal cortex, the lingual gyrus, and the precuneus.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Parietal and hippocampal hyper‐connectivity is associated with low math achievement in adolescence – A preliminary study

Abreu-Mendoza

Pincus

Chamorro

et al. 2021

Developmental Science

Self Cite

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Mathematical cognition requires coordinated activity across multiple brain regions, leading to the emergence of resting‐state functional connectivity as a method for studying the neural basis of differences in mathematical achievement. Hyper‐connectivity of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), a key locus of mathematical and numerical processing, has been associated with poor mathematical skills in childhood, whereas greater connectivity has been related to better performance in adulthood. No studies to date have considered its role in adolescence. Further, hippocampal connectivity can predict mathematical learning, yet no studies have considered its contributions to contemporaneous measures of math achievement. Here, we used seed‐based resting‐state fMRI analyses to examine IPS and hippocampal intrinsic functional connectivity relations to math achievement in a group of 31 adolescents (mean age = 16.42 years, range 15–17), whose math performance spanned the 1% to 99% percentile. After controlling for IQ, IPS connectivity was negatively related to math achievement, akin to findings in children. However, the specific temporo‐occipital regions were more akin to the posterior loci implicated in adults. Hippocampal connectivity with frontal regions was also negatively correlated with concurrent math measures, which contrasts with results from learning studies. Finally, hyper‐connectivity was not a global feature of low math performance, as math performance did not modulate connectivity of Heschl's gyrus, a control seed not involved in math cognition. Our results provide preliminary evidence that adolescence is a transitional stage in which patterns found in childhood and adulthood can be observed; most notably, hyper‐connectivity continues to be related to low math ability into this period.

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Radical neuroconstructivism: a framework to combine the how and what of teaching and learning?

Tokuhama-Espinosa

Borja

2023

Front. Educ.

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Recent advances in pedagogical research have called attention to the dynamic nature of the teaching and learning process in which the actors mutually influence one another. The understanding of how this works in the brain—the specialized neural networks related to this process—is often limited to neuroscientists but are slowly becoming available to other learning scientists, including teachers. A transdisciplinary approach combining the best information about observable teaching-learning processes from education with newer information from the neurosciences may aid in resolving fundamental questions in the learning process. Teachers’ professional formation and development is often structured in segmented topical ways (e.g., pedagogy, evaluation, planning, classroom management, social–emotional learning), to identify important content knowledge (e.g., art, reading, mathematics, STEM), or to appreciate life skills (e.g., collaboration, critical thinking, social–emotional learning). While important, knowledge about the brain, the organ responsible for learning, is typically absent from teacher education. This paper reexamines the evidence from neuroconstructivism and the hierarchy of learning trajectories and combines it with evidence from psychology and the ways humans interact during the teaching-learning process to suggest radical neuroconstructivism as a framework within which to organize teachers’ professional development. The radical neuroconstructivism framework may contribute to making the content knowledge of teachers’ continual professional development more visible.

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The Neural Correlates of the Core Number Systems Contribute to Mathematical Ability in Adolescence

Cited by 3 publications

References 55 publications

Parietal and hippocampal hyper-connectivity is associated with low math achievement in adolescence – a preliminary study

Parietal and hippocampal hyper-connectivity is associated with low math achievement in adolescence – a preliminary study

Parietal and hippocampal hyper‐connectivity is associated with low math achievement in adolescence – A preliminary study

Radical neuroconstructivism: a framework to combine the how and what of teaching and learning?

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