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Cappagli G, Cuturi LF, Signorini S, Morelli F, Cocchi E, Gori M. Early visual deprivation disrupts the mental representation of numbers in visually impaired children. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22538. [PMID: 36581659 PMCID: PMC9800586 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25044-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Several shreds of evidence indicate that visual deprivation does not alter numerical competence neither in adults nor in children. However, studies reporting non-impaired numerical abilities in the visually impaired population present some limitations: (a) they mainly assessed the ability to process numbers (e.g. mathematical competence) rather than represent numbers (e.g. mental number line); (b) they principally focused on positive rather than negative number estimates; (c) they investigated numerical abilities in adult individuals except one focusing on children (Crollen et al. in Cognition 210:104586, 2021). Overall, this could limit a comprehensive explanation of the role exerted by vision on numerical processing when vision is compromised. Here we investigated how congenital visual deprivation affects the ability to represent positive and negative numbers in horizontal and sagittal planes in visually impaired children (thirteen children with low vision, eight children with complete blindness, age range 6-15 years old). We adapted the number-to-position paradigm adopted by Crollen et al. (Cognition 210:104586, 2021), asking children to indicate the spatial position of positive and negative numbers on a graduated rule positioned horizontally or sagittally in the frontal plane. Results suggest that long-term visual deprivation alters the ability to identify the spatial position of numbers independently of the spatial plane and the number polarity. Moreover, results indicate that relying on poor visual acuity is detrimental for low vision children when asked to localize both positive and negative numbers in space, suggesting that visual experience might have a differential role in numerical processing depending on number polarity. Such findings add knowledge related to the impact of visual experience on numerical processing. Since both positive and negative numbers are fundamental aspects of learning mathematical principles, the outcomes of the present study inform about the need to implement early rehabilitation strategies to prevent the risk of numerical difficulties in visually impaired children.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Cappagli
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Unit for Visually Impaired People (UVIP), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Melen 83, 16100 Genova, Italy ,grid.419416.f0000 0004 1760 3107Developmental Neuro-Ophthalmology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - L. F. Cuturi
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Unit for Visually Impaired People (UVIP), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Melen 83, 16100 Genova, Italy ,grid.10438.3e0000 0001 2178 8421Department of Cognitive, Psychological, Pedagogical Sciences and of Cultural Studies, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - S. Signorini
- grid.419416.f0000 0004 1760 3107Developmental Neuro-Ophthalmology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - F. Morelli
- grid.419416.f0000 0004 1760 3107Developmental Neuro-Ophthalmology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy ,grid.8982.b0000 0004 1762 5736Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - M. Gori
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Unit for Visually Impaired People (UVIP), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Melen 83, 16100 Genova, Italy
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Crollen V, Warusfel H, Noël MP, Collignon O. Early visual deprivation does not prevent the emergence of basic numerical abilities in blind children. Cognition 2021; 210:104586. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Crollen V, Collignon O. How visual is the « number sense »? Insights from the blind. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:290-297. [PMID: 32711006 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Is vision a necessary building block for the foundations of mathematical cognition? A straightforward model to test the causal role visual experience plays in the development of numerical abilities is to study people born without sight. In this review we will demonstrate that congenitally blind people can develop numerical abilities that equal or even surpass those of sighted individuals, despite representing numbers using a qualitatively different representational format. We will also show that numerical thinking in blind people maps onto regions typically involved in visuo-spatial processing in the sighted, highlighting how intrinsic computational biases may constrain the reorganization of numerical networks in case of early visual deprivation. More generally, we will illustrate how the study of arithmetic abilities in congenitally blind people represents a compelling model to understand how sensory experience scaffolds the development of higher-level cognitive representations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Crollen
- Institute of Psychology (IPSY) and Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Cardinal Mercier 10, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
| | - Olivier Collignon
- Institute of Psychology (IPSY) and Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Cardinal Mercier 10, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
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Rinaldi L, Ciricugno A, Merabet LB, Vecchi T, Cattaneo Z. The Effect of Blindness on Spatial Asymmetries. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10100662. [PMID: 32977398 PMCID: PMC7597958 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10100662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The human cerebral cortex is asymmetrically organized with hemispheric lateralization pervading nearly all neural systems of the brain. Whether the lack of normal visual development affects hemispheric specialization subserving the deployment of visuospatial attention asymmetries is controversial. In principle, indeed, the lack of early visual experience may affect the lateralization of spatial functions, and the blind may rely on a different sensory input compared to the sighted. In this review article, we thus present a current state-of-the-art synthesis of empirical evidence concerning the effects of visual deprivation on the lateralization of various spatial processes (i.e., including line bisection, mirror symmetry, and localization tasks). Overall, the evidence reviewed indicates that spatial processes are supported by a right hemispheric network in the blind, hence, analogously to the sighted. Such a right-hemisphere dominance, however, seems more accentuated in the blind as compared to the sighted as indexed by the greater leftward bias shown in different spatial tasks. This is possibly the result of the more pronounced involvement of the right parietal cortex during spatial tasks in blind individuals compared to the sighted, as well as of the additional recruitment of the right occipital cortex, which would reflect the cross-modal plastic phenomena that largely characterize the blind brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Rinaldi
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Science, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Lotfi B. Merabet
- The Laboratory for Visual Neuroplasticity, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Tomaso Vecchi
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Science, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.C.); (Z.C.)
| | - Zaira Cattaneo
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.C.); (Z.C.)
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy
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Ciricugno A, Rinaldi L, Vecchi T, Merabet LB, Cattaneo Z. The Role of Binocular Vision in Driving Pseudoneglect in Visual and Haptic Bisection: Evidence From Strabismic and Monocular Blind Individuals. Multisens Res 2020; 33:549-567. [PMID: 31059488 DOI: 10.1163/22134808-20191347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Prior studies have shown that strabismic amblyopes do not exhibit pseudoneglect in visual line bisection, suggesting that the right-hemisphere dominance in the control of spatial attention may depend on a normally developing binocular vision. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether an abnormal binocular childhood experience also affects spatial attention in the haptic modality, thus reflecting a supramodal effect. To this aim, we compared the performance of normally sighted, strabismic and early monocular blind participants in a visual and a haptic line bisection task. In visual line bisection, strabismic individuals tended to err to the right of the veridical midpoint, in contrast with normally sighted participants who showed pseudoneglect. Monocular blind participants exhibited high variability in their visual performance, with a tendency to bisect toward the direction of the functioning eye. In turn, in haptic bisection, all participants consistently erred towards the left of the veridical midpoint. Taken together, our findings support the view that pseudoneglect in the visual and haptic modality relies on different functional and neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ciricugno
- 1Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Luca Rinaldi
- 2Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,3NeuroMI, Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Tomaso Vecchi
- 1Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,4IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lotfi B Merabet
- 5The Laboratory for Visual Neuroplasticity, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Zaira Cattaneo
- 2Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,4IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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Cattaneo Z, Rinaldi L, Geraci C, Cecchetto C, Papagno C. Spatial biases in deaf, blind, and deafblind individuals as revealed by a haptic line bisection task. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2018; 71:2325-2333. [PMID: 30362405 DOI: 10.1177/1747021817741288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated whether auditory deprivation leads to a more balanced bilateral control of spatial attention in the haptic space. We tested four groups of participants: early deaf, early blind, deafblind, and control (normally hearing and sighted) participants. Using a haptic line bisection task, we found that while normally hearing individuals (even when blind) showed a significant tendency to bisect to the left of the veridical midpoint (i.e., pseudoneglect), deaf individuals did not show any significant directional bias. This was the case of both deaf signers and non-signers, in line with prior findings obtained using a visual line bisection task. Interestingly, deafblind individuals also erred significantly to the left, resembling the pattern of early blind and control participants. Overall, these data critically suggest that deafness induces changes in the hemispheric asymmetry subtending the orientation of spatial attention also in the haptic modality. Moreover, our findings indicate that what counterbalances the right-hemisphere dominance in the control of spatial attention is not the lack of auditory input per se, nor sign language use, but rather the heavier reliance on visual experience induced by early auditory deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaira Cattaneo
- 1 Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
- 2 Brain Connectivity Center, IRCCS Mondino, Pavia, Italy
| | - Luca Rinaldi
- 1 Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
- 3 NeuroMI, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Carlo Geraci
- 4 Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, ENS, EHESS, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Carlo Cecchetto
- 1 Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
- 5 Structures Formelles du Langage, Université Paris 8/CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Costanza Papagno
- 1 Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
- 6 CIMeC and CeRiN, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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Nava E, Rinaldi L, Bulf H, Macchi Cassia V. The spatial representation of numbers and time follow distinct developmental trajectories: A study in 6- and 10-year-old children. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Rinaldi L, Merabet LB, Vecchi T, Cattaneo Z. The spatial representation of number, time, and serial order following sensory deprivation: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 90:371-380. [PMID: 29746876 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The spatial representation of numerical and temporal information is thought to be rooted in our multisensory experiences. Accordingly, we may expect visual or auditory deprivation to affect the way we represent numerical magnitude and time spatially. Here, we systematically review recent findings on how blind and deaf individuals represent abstract concepts such as magnitude and time (e.g., past/future, serial order of events) in a spatial format. Interestingly, available evidence suggests that sensory deprivation does not prevent the spatial "re-mapping" of abstract information, but differences compared to normally sighted and hearing individuals may emerge depending on the specific dimension considered (i.e., numerical magnitude, time as past/future, serial order). Herein we discuss how the study of sensory deprived populations may shed light on the specific, and possibly distinct, mechanisms subserving the spatial representation of these concepts. Furthermore, we pinpoint unresolved issues that need to be addressed by future studies to grasp a full understanding of the spatial representation of abstract information associated with visual and auditory deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Rinaldi
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy; NeuroMI, Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milano, Italy.
| | - Lotfi B Merabet
- The Laboratory for Visual Neuroplasticity, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Tomaso Vecchi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Zaira Cattaneo
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy; IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
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The Spatial Musical Association of Response Codes does not depend on a normal visual experience: A study with early blind individuals. Atten Percept Psychophys 2018; 80:813-821. [DOI: 10.3758/s13414-018-1495-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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10
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Nava E, Rinaldi L, Bulf H, Macchi Cassia V. Visual and proprioceptive feedback differently modulate the spatial representation of number and time in children. J Exp Child Psychol 2017; 161:161-177. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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Crollen V, Collignon O. Cognition numérique : que peuvent nous apprendre les personnes non-voyantes ? Med Sci (Paris) 2017; 32:1097-1102. [DOI: 10.1051/medsci/20163212013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Dormal V, Crollen V, Baumans C, Lepore F, Collignon O. Early but not late blindness leads to enhanced arithmetic and working memory abilities. Cortex 2016; 83:212-21. [PMID: 27580465 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Behavioural and neurophysiological evidence suggest that vision plays an important role in the emergence and development of arithmetic abilities. However, how visual deprivation impacts on the development of arithmetic processing remains poorly understood. We compared the performances of early (EB), late blind (LB) and sighted control (SC) individuals during various arithmetic tasks involving addition, subtraction and multiplication of various complexities. We also assessed working memory (WM) performances to determine if they relate to a blind person's arithmetic capacities. Results showed that EB participants performed better than LB and SC in arithmetic tasks, especially in conditions in which verbal routines and WM abilities are needed. Moreover, EB participants also showed higher WM abilities. Together, our findings demonstrate that the absence of developmental vision does not prevent the development of refined arithmetic skills and can even trigger the refinement of these abilities in specific tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérie Dormal
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences Psychologiques, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
| | - Virginie Crollen
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences Psychologiques, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Christine Baumans
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences Psychologiques, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Franco Lepore
- Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC), Université de Montréal, Canada
| | - Olivier Collignon
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences Psychologiques, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; Centre for Mind/Brain Science, University of Trento, Italy
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