Brain Correlates of Non-Symbolic Numerosity Estimation in Low and High Mathematical Ability Children

TY - JOUR

T1 - Brain Correlates of Non-Symbolic Numerosity Estimation in Low and High Mathematical Ability Children

AU - Kovas, Yulia

AU - Giampietro, Vincent

AU - Viding, Essi

AU - Ng, Virginia

AU - Brammer, Michael

AU - Barker, Gareth J.

AU - Happe, Francesca G. E.

AU - Plomin, Robert

PY - 2009/2/24

Y1 - 2009/2/24

N2 - Previous studies have implicated several brain areas as subserving numerical approximation. Most studies have examined brain correlates of adult numerical approximation and have not considered individual differences in mathematical ability. The present study examined non-symbolic numerical approximation in two groups of 10-year-olds: Children with low and high mathematical ability. The aims of this study were to investigate the brain mechanisms associated with approximate numerosity in children and to assess whether individual differences in mathematical ability are associated with differential brain correlates during the approximation task. The results suggest that, similarly to adults, multiple and distributed brain areas are involved in approximation in children. Despite equal behavioral performance, there were differences in the brain activation patterns between low and high mathematical ability groups during the approximation task. This suggests that individual differences in mathematical ability are reflected in differential brain response during approximation.

AB - Previous studies have implicated several brain areas as subserving numerical approximation. Most studies have examined brain correlates of adult numerical approximation and have not considered individual differences in mathematical ability. The present study examined non-symbolic numerical approximation in two groups of 10-year-olds: Children with low and high mathematical ability. The aims of this study were to investigate the brain mechanisms associated with approximate numerosity in children and to assess whether individual differences in mathematical ability are associated with differential brain correlates during the approximation task. The results suggest that, similarly to adults, multiple and distributed brain areas are involved in approximation in children. Despite equal behavioral performance, there were differences in the brain activation patterns between low and high mathematical ability groups during the approximation task. This suggests that individual differences in mathematical ability are reflected in differential brain response during approximation.

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0004587

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0004587

M3 - Article

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 4

JO - PL o S One

JF - PL o S One

IS - 2

M1 - e4587

ER -