1
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Mikheev I, Steiner H, Martynova O. Detecting cognitive traits and occupational proficiency using EEG and statistical inference. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5605. [PMID: 38453969 PMCID: PMC10920811 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55163-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Machine learning (ML) is widely used in classification tasks aimed at detecting various cognitive states or neurological diseases using noninvasive electroencephalogram (EEG) time series. However, successfully detecting specific cognitive skills in a healthy population, independent of subject, remains challenging. This study compared the subject-independent classification performance of three different pipelines: supervised and Riemann projections with logistic regression and handcrafted power spectral features with light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM). 128-channel EEGs were recorded from 26 healthy volunteers while they solved arithmetic, logical, and verbal tasks. The participants were divided into two groups based on their higher education and occupation: specialists in mathematics and humanities. The balanced accuracy of the education type was significantly above chance for all pipelines: 0.84-0.89, 0.85-0.88, and 0.86-0.88 for each type of task, respectively. All three pipelines allowed us to distinguish mathematical proficiency based on learning experience with different trade-offs between performance and explainability. Our results suggest that ML approaches could also be effective for recognizing individual cognitive traits using EEG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Mikheev
- Department of Psychology, HSE University, Moscow, 101000, Russia.
| | - Helen Steiner
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117485, Russia
| | - Olga Martynova
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117485, Russia
- Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, HSE University, Moscow, 101000, Russia
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2
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Oku AYA, Barreto C, Bruneri G, Brockington G, Fujita A, Sato JR. Applications of graph theory to the analysis of fNIRS data in hyperscanning paradigms. Front Comput Neurosci 2022; 16:975743. [PMID: 36185711 PMCID: PMC9521601 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2022.975743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperscanning is a promising tool for investigating the neurobiological underpinning of social interactions and affective bonds. Recently, graph theory measures, such as modularity, have been proposed for estimating the global synchronization between brains. This paper proposes the bootstrap modularity test as a way of determining whether a pair of brains is coactivated. This test is illustrated as a screening tool in an application to fNIRS data collected from the prefrontal cortex and temporoparietal junction of five dyads composed of a teacher and a preschooler while performing an interaction task. In this application, graph hub centrality measures identify that the dyad's synchronization is critically explained by the relation between teacher's language and number processing and the child's phonological processing. The analysis of these metrics may provide further insights into the neurobiological underpinnings of interaction, such as in educational contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Yumi Ambriola Oku
- Center of Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Amanda Yumi Ambriola Oku
| | - Candida Barreto
- Center of Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
- NRF South Africa Chair: Integrated Studies of Learning Language, Science and Mathematics in the Primary School, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Guilherme Bruneri
- Physics Department, Aeronautics Institute of Technology, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Brockington
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, Brazil
| | - Andre Fujita
- Computer Science Department, Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - João Ricardo Sato
- Center of Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
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3
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Huang B, Liu X, Wang Y, Li H, Si J, Wang D, Afzal K. Is the Discount Really Favorable? The Effect of Numeracy on Price Magnitude Judgment: Evidence From Electroencephalography. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:817450. [PMID: 35769701 PMCID: PMC9234211 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.817450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attractive price promotion will induce an unreasonable willingness to purchase, especially through shopping. However, it is not clear how numeracy, one of the essential abilities for understanding and applying numbers, influences the process of purchase judgment. In total, 61 participants were recruited to perform a price promotion task using electroencephalography. The results showed that consumers with low numeracy performed worse than their peers with high numeracy at the behavioral level, and they also had lower P3b amplitude and less alpha desynchronization, regardless of price promotion frameworks. These findings provided evidence on the processing of price information and provided further insights into how numeracy impacts price magnitude judgment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jiwei Si
- School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
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4
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Artemenko C, Wortha SM, Dresler T, Frey M, Barrocas R, Nuerk HC, Moeller K. Finger-Based Numerical Training Increases Sensorimotor Activation for Arithmetic in Children—An fNIRS Study. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12050637. [PMID: 35625023 PMCID: PMC9139726 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Most children use their fingers when learning to count and calculate. These sensorimotor experiences were argued to underlie reported behavioral associations of finger gnosis and counting with mathematical skills. On the neural level, associations were assumed to originate from overlapping neural representations of fingers and numbers. This study explored whether finger-based training in children would lead to specific neural activation in the sensorimotor cortex, associated with finger movements, as well as the parietal cortex, associated with number processing, during mental arithmetic. Following finger-based training during the first year of school, trained children showed finger-related arithmetic effects accompanied by activation in the sensorimotor cortex potentially associated with implicit finger movements. This indicates embodied finger-based numerical representations after training. Results for differences in neural activation between trained children and a control group in the IPS were less conclusive. This study provides the first evidence for training-induced sensorimotor plasticity in brain development potentially driven by the explicit use of fingers for initial arithmetic, supporting an embodied perspective on the representation of numbers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Artemenko
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, 72072 Tuebingen, Germany; (T.D.); (K.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Silke Maria Wortha
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany;
| | - Thomas Dresler
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, 72072 Tuebingen, Germany; (T.D.); (K.M.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tuebingen Center for Mental Health, University Hospital of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Mirjam Frey
- Department Clinical Psychology & Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands;
| | | | - Hans-Christoph Nuerk
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, 72072 Tuebingen, Germany; (T.D.); (K.M.)
| | - Korbinian Moeller
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, 72072 Tuebingen, Germany; (T.D.); (K.M.)
- Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, School of Science, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
- Individual Development and Adaptive Education Center, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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5
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Yeung MK, Chu VW. Viewing neurovascular coupling through the lens of combined EEG-fNIRS: A systematic review of current methods. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14054. [PMID: 35357703 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Neurovascular coupling is a key physiological mechanism that occurs in the healthy human brain, and understanding this process has implications for understanding the aging and neuropsychiatric populations. Combined electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has emerged as a promising, noninvasive tool for probing neurovascular interactions in humans. However, the utility of this approach critically depends on the methodological quality used for multimodal integration. Despite a growing number of combined EEG-fNIRS applications reported in recent years, the methodological rigor of past studies remains unclear, limiting the accurate interpretation of reported findings and hindering the translational application of this multimodal approach. To fill this knowledge gap, we critically evaluated various methodological aspects of previous combined EEG-fNIRS studies performed in healthy individuals. A literature search was conducted using PubMed and PsycINFO on June 28, 2021. Studies involving concurrent EEG and fNIRS measurements in awake and healthy individuals were selected. After screening and eligibility assessment, 96 studies were included in the methodological evaluation. Specifically, we critically reviewed various aspects of participant sampling, experimental design, signal acquisition, data preprocessing, outcome selection, data analysis, and results presentation reported in these studies. Altogether, we identified several notable strengths and limitations of the existing EEG-fNIRS literature. In light of these limitations and the features of combined EEG-fNIRS, recommendations are made to improve and standardize research practices to facilitate the use of combined EEG-fNIRS when studying healthy neurovascular coupling processes and alterations in neurovascular coupling among various populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Yeung
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Vivian W Chu
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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6
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Howard E, Ballinger S, Kinney NG, Balgenorth Y, Ehrhardt A, Phillips JS, Irwin DJ, Grossman M, Cousins KA. Frontal Atrophy and Executive Dysfunction Relate to Complex Numbers Impairment in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 88:1553-1566. [PMID: 35811515 PMCID: PMC9915885 DOI: 10.3233/jad-215327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research finds a range of numbers impairments in Parkinsonian syndromes (PS), but has largely focused on how visuospatial impairments impact deficits in basic numerical processes (e.g., magnitude judgments, chunking). Differentiation between these basic functions and more complex numerical processes often utilized in everyday tasks may help elucidate neurocognitive and neuroanatomic bases of numbers deficits in PS. OBJECTIVE To test neurocognitive and neuroanatomic correlates of complex numerical processing in PS, we assessed number abilities, neuropsychological performance, and cortical thickness in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and Lewy body spectrum disorders (LBSD). METHODS Fifty-six patients (LBSD = 35; PSP = 21) completed a Numbers Battery, including basic and complex numerical tasks. The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), letter fluency (LF), and Judgment of Line Orientation (JOLO) assessed global, executive, and visuospatial functioning respectively. Mann-Whitney U tests compared neuropsychological testing and rank-transformed analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) compared numbers performance between groups while adjusting for demographic variables. Spearman's and partial correlations related numbers performance to neuropsychological tasks. Neuroimaging assessed cortical thickness in disease groups and demographically-matched healthy controls. RESULTS PSP had worse complex numbers performance than LBSD (F = 6.06, p = 0.02) but similar basic numbers performance (F = 0.38, p > 0.1), covarying for MMSE and sex. Across syndromes, impaired complex numbers performance was linked to poor LF (rho = 0.34, p = 0.01) but not JOLO (rho = 0.23, p > 0.05). Imaging revealed significant frontal atrophy in PSP compared to controls, which was associated with worse LF and complex numbers performance. CONCLUSION PSP demonstrated selective impairments in complex numbers processing compared to LBSD. This complex numerical deficit may relate to executive dysfunction and frontal atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Howard
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Samantha Ballinger
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nikolas G. Kinney
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yvonne Balgenorth
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Annabess Ehrhardt
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey S. Phillips
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David J. Irwin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Digital Neuropathology Laboratory, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Murray Grossman
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katheryn A.Q. Cousins
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Correspondence to: Katheryn A.Q. Cousins, PhD, 3400 Spruce St, Department of Neurology, 3W Gates Building, Philadel phia, PA 19104, USA. Tel.: +1 215 349 5863; Fax: +1 215 349 8464;
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7
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Huber JF, Artemenko C. Anxiety-Related Difficulties With Complex Arithmetic. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR PSYCHOLOGIE-JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1027/2151-2604/a000469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. Human behavior depends on the interplay between cognition and emotion. Negative emotions like anxiety affect performance, particularly in complex tasks, by limiting cognitive resources – known as the anxiety–complexity effect. This study set out to replicate the anxiety–complexity effect in a web-based experiment. We investigated individual differences in math anxiety – a negative emotional response specific to math – and arithmetic performance ( N = 382). The mental arithmetic task consisted of a two-digit addition and subtraction, with/without carrying or borrowing, respectively. As expected and preregistered, higher math anxiety was related to poorer arithmetic performance, especially in complex tasks – indicating the anxiety–complexity effect. Consequently, the negative math anxiety-performance link is especially pronounced for complex arithmetic, which requires calculations across place-values and thus working memory resources. This successful replication of the anxiety–complexity effect suggests that math-anxious individuals have particular difficulties in complex arithmetic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia F. Huber
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christina Artemenko
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Germany
- LEAD Graduate School and Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Germany
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8
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Gilmore N, Yücel MA, Li X, Boas DA, Kiran S. Investigating Language and Domain-General Processing in Neurotypicals and Individuals With Aphasia - A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Pilot Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:728151. [PMID: 34602997 PMCID: PMC8484538 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.728151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain reorganization patterns associated with language recovery after stroke have long been debated. Studying mechanisms of spontaneous and treatment-induced language recovery in post-stroke aphasia requires a network-based approach given the potential for recruitment of perilesional left hemisphere language regions, homologous right hemisphere language regions, and/or spared bilateral domain-general regions. Recent hardware, software, and methodological advances in functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) make it well-suited to examine this question. fNIRS is cost-effective with minimal contraindications, making it a robust option to monitor treatment-related brain activation changes over time. Establishing clear activation patterns in neurotypical adults during language and domain-general cognitive processes via fNIRS is an important first step. Some fNIRS studies have investigated key language processes in healthy adults, yet findings are challenging to interpret in the context of methodological limitations. This pilot study used fNIRS to capture brain activation during language and domain-general processing in neurotypicals and individuals with aphasia. These findings will serve as a reference when interpreting treatment-related changes in brain activation patterns in post-stroke aphasia in the future. Twenty-four young healthy controls, seventeen older healthy controls, and six individuals with left hemisphere stroke-induced aphasia completed two language tasks (i.e., semantic feature, picture naming) and one domain-general cognitive task (i.e., arithmetic) twice during fNIRS. The probe covered bilateral frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes and included short-separation detectors for scalp signal nuisance regression. Younger and older healthy controls activated core language regions during semantic feature processing (e.g., left inferior frontal gyrus pars opercularis) and lexical retrieval (e.g., left inferior frontal gyrus pars triangularis) and domain-general regions (e.g., bilateral middle frontal gyri) during hard versus easy arithmetic as expected. Consistent with theories of post-stroke language recovery, individuals with aphasia activated areas outside the traditional networks: left superior frontal gyrus and left supramarginal gyrus during semantic feature judgment; left superior frontal gyrus and right precentral gyrus during picture naming; and left inferior frontal gyrus pars opercularis during arithmetic processing. The preliminary findings in the stroke group highlight the utility of using fNIRS to study language and domain-general processing in aphasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Gilmore
- Department of Speech Language & Hearing Sciences, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Meryem Ayse Yücel
- Neurophotonics Center, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Xinge Li
- Neurophotonics Center, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - David A Boas
- Neurophotonics Center, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Swathi Kiran
- Department of Speech Language & Hearing Sciences, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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9
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van Bueren NER, Reed TL, Nguyen V, Sheffield JG, van der Ven SHG, Osborne MA, Kroesbergen EH, Cohen Kadosh R. Personalized brain stimulation for effective neurointervention across participants. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008886. [PMID: 34499639 PMCID: PMC8454957 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence from human-based research has highlighted that the prevalent one-size-fits-all approach for neural and behavioral interventions is inefficient. This approach can benefit one individual, but be ineffective or even detrimental for another. Studying the efficacy of the large range of different parameters for different individuals is costly, time-consuming and requires a large sample size that makes such research impractical and hinders effective interventions. Here an active machine learning technique is presented across participants-personalized Bayesian optimization (pBO)-that searches available parameter combinations to optimize an intervention as a function of an individual's ability. This novel technique was utilized to identify transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) frequency and current strength combinations most likely to improve arithmetic performance, based on a subject's baseline arithmetic abilities. The pBO was performed across all subjects tested, building a model of subject performance, capable of recommending parameters for future subjects based on their baseline arithmetic ability. pBO successfully searches, learns, and recommends parameters for an effective neurointervention as supported by behavioral, simulation, and neural data. The application of pBO in human-based research opens up new avenues for personalized and more effective interventions, as well as discoveries of protocols for treatment and translation to other clinical and non-clinical domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nienke E. R. van Bueren
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Thomas L. Reed
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Vu Nguyen
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Amazon, Adelaide, Australia
| | - James G. Sheffield
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Michael A. Osborne
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Evelyn H. Kroesbergen
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
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10
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Artemenko C. Developmental fronto-parietal shift of brain activation during mental arithmetic across the lifespan: A registered report protocol. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256232. [PMID: 34432831 PMCID: PMC8386861 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Arithmetic processing is represented in a fronto-parietal network of the brain. However, activation within this network undergoes a shift from domain-general cognitive processing in the frontal cortex towards domain-specific magnitude processing in the parietal cortex. This is at least what is known about development from findings in children and young adults. In this registered report, we set out to replicate the fronto-parietal activation shift for arithmetic processing and explore for the first time how neural development of arithmetic continues during aging. This study focuses on the behavioral and neural correlates of arithmetic and arithmetic complexity across the lifespan, i.e., childhood, where arithmetic is first learned, young adulthood, when arithmetic skills are already established, and old age, when there is lifelong arithmetic experience. Therefore, brain activation during mental arithmetic will be measured in children, young adults, and the elderly using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Arithmetic complexity will be manipulated by the carry and borrow operations in two-digit addition and subtraction. The findings of this study will inform educational practice, since the carry and borrow operations are considered as obstacles in math achievement, and serve as a basis for developing interventions in the elderly, since arithmetic skills are important for an independent daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Artemenko
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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11
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Alnajashi S. Alpha and theta oscillations in mental addition for high and low performers. Cogn Process 2021; 22:609-626. [PMID: 34076773 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-021-01038-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
While many contemporary studies aim to explore the sources of notable individual differences in arithmetic skills, this study specifically aims to highlight cognitive differences between high and low math performers. Thirty-six undergraduate female students who were identified as either high or low math performers, according to an arithmetic fluency test, were recruited. In the main experiment, EEG recordings were taken, while the participants performed a mental addition task. The mental addition problems were classified as either easy or difficult, and were presented to participants in several forms. The results indicated that problem difficulty increases the gap in accuracy attainment between high and low math performers. Additionally, high performers displayed larger alpha power during mental arithmetic in P7, corresponding to the left parietal lobe. This indicated that combining behavioral and neural data can improve our understanding of the differences between high and low math performers. Interpretations and implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumyah Alnajashi
- Department of Psychology, King Saud University, PO Box 85500, Riyadh, 11691, Saudi Arabia.
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12
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Barreto C, Bruneri GDA, Brockington G, Ayaz H, Sato JR. A New Statistical Approach for fNIRS Hyperscanning to Predict Brain Activity of Preschoolers' Using Teacher's. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:622146. [PMID: 34025373 PMCID: PMC8137814 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.622146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperscanning studies using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) have been performed to understand the neural mechanisms underlying human-human interactions. In this study, we propose a novel methodological approach that is developed for fNIRS multi-brain analysis. Our method uses support vector regression (SVR) to predict one brain activity time series using another as the predictor. We applied the proposed methodology to explore the teacher-student interaction, which plays a critical role in the formal learning process. In an illustrative application, we collected fNIRS data of the teacher and preschoolers’ dyads performing an interaction task. The teacher explained to the child how to add two numbers in the context of a game. The Prefrontal cortex and temporal-parietal junction of both teacher and student were recorded. A multivariate regression model was built for each channel in each dyad, with the student’s signal as the response variable and the teacher’s ones as the predictors. We compared the predictions of SVR with the conventional ordinary least square (OLS) predictor. The results predicted by the SVR model were statistically significantly correlated with the actual test data at least one channel-pair for all dyads. Overall, 29/90 channel-pairs across the five dyads (18 channels 5 dyads = 90 channel-pairs) presented significant signal predictions withthe SVR approach. The conventional OLS resulted in only 4 out of 90 valid predictions. These results demonstrated that the SVR could be used to perform channel-wise predictions across individuals, and the teachers’ cortical activity can be used to predict the student brain hemodynamic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candida Barreto
- Center of Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
| | | | - Guilherme Brockington
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, Brazil
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Drexel Solutions Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Center for Injury Research and Prevention, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Joao Ricardo Sato
- Center of Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil.,Interdisciplinary Unit for Applied Neuroscience, Federal University of ABC, Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
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13
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Andin J, Elwér Å, Mäki-Torkko E. Arithmetic in the adult deaf signing brain. J Neurosci Res 2019; 98:643-654. [PMID: 31803973 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
We have previously shown that deaf signers recruit partially different brain regions during simple arithmetic compared to a group of hearing non-signers, despite similar performance. Specifically, hearing individuals show more widespread activation in brain areas that have been related to the verbal system of numerical processing, i.e., the left angular and inferior frontal gyrus, whereas deaf individuals engaged brain areas that have been related to the quantity system of numerical processing, i.e., the right horizontal intraparietal sulcus. This indicates that compared to hearing non-signers, deaf signers can successfully make use of processes located in partially different brain areas during simple arithmetic. In this study, which is a conceptual replication and extension of the above-presented study, the main aim is to understand similarities and differences in neural correlates supporting arithmetic in deaf compared to hearing individuals. The primary objective is to investigate the role of the right horizontal intraparietal gyrus, the left inferior frontal gyrus, the hippocampus, and the left angular gyrus during simple and difficult arithmetic and how these regions are connected to each other. A second objective is to explore what other brain regions support arithmetic in deaf signers. Up to 34 adult deaf signers and the same amount of hearing non-signers will be enrolled in an functional magnetic resonance imaging study that will include simple and difficult subtraction and multiplication. Brain imaging data will be analyzed using whole-brain analysis, region of interest analysis and connectivity analysis. This is the first study to investigate neural underpinnings of arithmetic of different difficulties in deaf individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefine Andin
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Åsa Elwér
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Elina Mäki-Torkko
- Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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14
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Artemenko C, Soltanlou M, Bieck SM, Ehlis AC, Dresler T, Nuerk HC. Individual Differences in Math Ability Determine Neurocognitive Processing of Arithmetic Complexity: A Combined fNIRS-EEG Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:227. [PMID: 31333436 PMCID: PMC6616314 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Some individuals experience more difficulties with math than others, in particular when arithmetic problems get more complex. Math ability, on one hand, and arithmetic complexity, on the other hand, seem to partly share neural underpinnings. This study addresses the question of whether this leads to an interaction of math ability and arithmetic complexity for multiplication and division on behavioral and neural levels. Previously screened individuals with high and low math ability solved multiplication and division problems in a written production paradigm while brain activation was assessed by combined functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG). Arithmetic complexity was manipulated by using single-digit operands for simple multiplication problems and operands between 2 and 19 for complex multiplication problems and the corresponding division problems. On the behavioral level, individuals with low math ability needed more time for calculation, especially for complex arithmetic. On the neural level, fNIRS results revealed that these individuals showed less activation in the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG), superior temporal gyrus (STG) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) than individuals with high math ability when solving complex compared to simple arithmetic. This reflects the greater use of arithmetic fact retrieval and also the more efficient processing of arithmetic complexity by individuals with high math ability. Oscillatory EEG analysis generally revealed theta and alpha desynchronization with increasing arithmetic complexity but showed no interaction with math ability. Because of the discovered interaction for behavior and brain activation, we conclude that the consideration of individual differences is essential when investigating the neurocognitive processing of arithmetic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Artemenko
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Mojtaba Soltanlou
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Silke M. Bieck
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ann-Christine Ehlis
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Dresler
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Hans-Christoph Nuerk
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tuebingen, Germany
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15
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Soltanlou M, Artemenko C, Dresler T, Fallgatter AJ, Nuerk HC, Ehlis AC. Oscillatory EEG Changes During Arithmetic Learning in Children. Dev Neuropsychol 2019; 44:325-338. [PMID: 30864846 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2019.1586906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Most studies have investigated brain activation changes after the course of arithmetic learning, and the question remains whether these changes are detectable during the course of learning, i.e., before memory consolidation. Twenty-four fifth graders solved multiplication problems while ongoing electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded. The arithmetic training revealed reduced errors together with a power increase in theta (4-7 Hz) but not in lower alpha (8-10 Hz) or upper alpha (10-13 Hz) bands. We conclude that increases in theta power subserved a shift from slow, procedural strategies to more efficient, automated procedural and retrieval strategies, which led to more efficient performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojtaba Soltanlou
- a Department of Psychology , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany.,b LEAD Graduate School & Research Network , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany.,c Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien , Tuebingen , Germany
| | - Christina Artemenko
- a Department of Psychology , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany.,b LEAD Graduate School & Research Network , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany
| | - Thomas Dresler
- b LEAD Graduate School & Research Network , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany.,d Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University Hospital Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany
| | - Andreas J Fallgatter
- b LEAD Graduate School & Research Network , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany.,d Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University Hospital Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany.,e Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Excellence Cluster , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany
| | - Hans-Christoph Nuerk
- a Department of Psychology , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany.,b LEAD Graduate School & Research Network , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany.,c Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien , Tuebingen , Germany
| | - Ann-Christine Ehlis
- b LEAD Graduate School & Research Network , University of Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany.,d Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University Hospital Tuebingen , Tuebingen , Germany
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16
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Proverbio AM, Carminati M. Electrophysiological markers of poor versus superior math abilities in healthy individuals. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:1878-1891. [PMID: 30706598 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Interindividual differences in the numerical ability of healthy adults have been previously demonstrated, mainly with tasks involving mental number line or size representation. However, electrophysiological correlates of superior versus poor arithmetic ability (in the healthy population) have been scarcely investigated. We correlated electric potentials with math performance in 13 skilled and 13 poor calculators selected from a sample of 41 graduate students on the basis of their poor or superior math abilities assessed through a timed test. EEG was recorded from 128 channels while participants solved 352 arithmetical operations (additions, subtractions, multiplications, divisions) and decided whether the provided solution was correct or incorrect. Overall skilled individuals correctly solved a higher number of operations than poor calculators and had faster response times. Consistently, the latency of fronto-central P300 component of event-related potentials (ERPs) peaked earlier in the skilled than poor group. The P300 was larger in amplitude to correct than incorrect solutions, but just in the skilled group, with a tendency found in poor calculators. Spearman's ρ correlation coefficient analyses showed that the larger P300 response was to correct arithmetic solutions, the better the performance; conversely, the larger the P300 amplitude was to incorrect solutions, the worse the performance. The results suggest that poor calculators had a less clear representation of arithmetic solutions and difficulty in quickly accessing it. This study provides a standard method for directly investigating math abilities throughout ERP recordings that could be useful for assessing acalculia/dyscalculia in the clinical population (children, elderly, brain-damaged patients).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Proverbio
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Neuro-Mi- Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuel Carminati
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Neuro-Mi- Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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17
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Brockington G, Balardin JB, Zimeo Morais GA, Malheiros A, Lent R, Moura LM, Sato JR. From the Laboratory to the Classroom: The Potential of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Educational Neuroscience. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1840. [PMID: 30364351 PMCID: PMC6193429 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Paralleling two decades of growth in the emergent field known as educational neuroscience is an increasing concern that educational practices and programs should be evidence-based, however, the idea that neuroscience could potentially influence education is controversial. One of the criticisms, regarding applications of the findings produced in this discipline, concerns the artificiality of neuroscientific experiments and the oversimplified nature of the tests used to investigate cognitive processes in educational contexts. The simulations may not account for all of the variables present in real classroom activities. In this study, we aim to get a step closer to the formation of data-supported classroom methodologies by employing functional near-infrared spectroscopy in various experimental paradigms. First, we present two hyperscanning scenarios designed to explore realistic interdisciplinary contexts, i.e., the classroom. In a third paradigm, we present a case study of a single student evaluated with functional near-infrared spectroscopy and mobile eye-tracking glasses. These three experiments are performed to provide proofs of concept for the application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy in scenarios that more closely resemble authentic classroom routines and daily activities. The goal of our study is to explore the potential of this technique in hopes that it offers insights in experimental design to investigate teaching-learning processes during teacher-student interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Brockington
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, Brazil
- National Network of Science for Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Amanda Malheiros
- Departamento de Ciências Exatas e da Terra, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil
| | - Roberto Lent
- National Network of Science for Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- D'Or Institute of Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luciana Monteiro Moura
- Center of Mathematics Computing and Cognition, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
| | - Joao R. Sato
- National Network of Science for Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Center of Mathematics Computing and Cognition, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
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18
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Artemenko C, Soltanlou M, Ehlis AC, Nuerk HC, Dresler T. The neural correlates of mental arithmetic in adolescents: a longitudinal fNIRS study. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2018; 14:5. [PMID: 29524965 PMCID: PMC5845230 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-018-0137-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arithmetic processing in adults is known to rely on a frontal-parietal network. However, neurocognitive research focusing on the neural and behavioral correlates of arithmetic development has been scarce, even though the acquisition of arithmetic skills is accompanied by changes within the fronto-parietal network of the developing brain. Furthermore, experimental procedures are typically adjusted to constraints of functional magnetic resonance imaging, which may not reflect natural settings in which children and adolescents actually perform arithmetic. Therefore, we investigated the longitudinal neurocognitive development of processes involved in performing the four basic arithmetic operations in 19 adolescents. By using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, we were able to use an ecologically valid task, i.e., a written production paradigm. RESULTS A common pattern of activation in the bilateral fronto-parietal network for arithmetic processing was found for all basic arithmetic operations. Moreover, evidence was obtained for decreasing activation during subtraction over the course of 1 year in middle and inferior frontal gyri, and increased activation during addition and multiplication in angular and middle temporal gyri. In the self-paced block design, parietal activation in multiplication and left angular and temporal activation in addition were observed to be higher for simple than for complex blocks, reflecting an inverse effect of arithmetic complexity. CONCLUSIONS In general, the findings suggest that the brain network for arithmetic processing is already established in 12-14 year-old adolescents, but still undergoes developmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Artemenko
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Mojtaba Soltanlou
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience/IMPRS for Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, Tuebingen, Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ann-Christine Ehlis
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Hans-Christoph Nuerk
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Dresler
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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