3. The numerate brain Flashcards

1
Q

What is the dorsal stream?

A

Important for spatial localisation (WHERE)

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2
Q

What is the ventral stream?

A

Important for object identification (WHAT)

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3
Q

Mishkin et al (1983) DOUBLE DISSOCIATION:

Monkeys trained for:
- picking up objects that are closer in one condition (location)

VS

  • Picking up a particular shape in the other condition (shape)
A

Monkeys split into two lesion groups:
- Dorsal where path (parietal lobe)

  • Ventral what path (temporal lobe)
  • Monkeys with PARIETAL lesion FAILED on LOCATION, successful with shape.
  • Monkeys with TEMPORAL lesion FAILED on SHAPE, successful with location.
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4
Q

What separates the inferior parietal lobule and superior parietal lobule?

A

Intraparietal Sulcus (IPS)

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5
Q

Which Broadman areas (BA) lie in the Inferior Parietal Lobule (IPL)

A

BA39, BA40

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6
Q

The Inferior Parietal Lobule (IPL) is sometimes called the ____ and consists of…

A

Ventral parietal cortex

and consists of the ANGULAR GYRUS and the SUPRAMARGINAL GYRUS

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7
Q

Which areas are in the monkey Intraparietal Sulcus (IPS)?

A
  • AIP
  • L(lateral)IP
  • M(medial)IP
  • PIP
  • V(ventral)IP
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8
Q

What is the Fractionation vs overarching view?

A

Fractionation (specialisation):
- each subregion within a region has distinct cognitive functions (no functional overlap)

Overarching (functional overlap):
- Each subregion within a region is involved in every cognitive function but to a varying extent

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9
Q

Maths lec: what typically happens when the parietal lobe is lesioned following a tumour or stroke?

A
  • Visuospatial neglect: half of the world does not exist (like a broken radar)
  • Impaired object grasping (anterior Intraparietal Sulcus damage)
  • Acalculia (inferior Parietal Lobe damage -aka- ventral Parietal Cortex damage): problems with arithmetic
  • Reading impairment
  • WM deficits
  • Reasoning disorders
  • Impairments in intentionality & theory of mind
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10
Q

What is Acalculia?

A

Complete inability to calculate, such disturbance resulting from brain injury

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11
Q

What are numerical codes?

A

Anything providing information about amount/number

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12
Q

What is the Dehaene’s (2000) triple code model?

A

proposes that numbers are represented in three codes that serve different functions, have distinct functional neuroarchitectures, and are related to performance on specific tasks:

  • Analog magnitude representation: non-symbolic representation (estimation) bilateral
  • Visual Arabic (or any) Number Form: Arabic numeral reading/writing
  • bilateral*
  • Verbal Word Frame: Spoken/written number-words
  • left hemisphere*
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13
Q

Eger et al (2003):
fMRI on healthy participants

  • Supramodal (all modalities) number representation
A
  • The Intraparietal Sulcus (IPS) is significantly more activated by visual & auditory NUMBERS than by letters or colours
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14
Q

Nieder & Miller (2004):

Representation of Numerosity in monkeys (TRAINING)

A

Tested monkeys with small numerosities (small numbers) of dots

TRAINED:

e. g:
1. 4 dots displayed

  1. then either matching or non-matching amount displayed

Objective = Monkey decides if second amount matches first amount

  • If match & indicated correctly = reward
  • every non-match = a matching amount is displayed for the monkey after
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15
Q

Nieder (2005):

Representation of Numerosity in monkeys (recording sites):

  • Interparietal Sulcus
  • Prefrontal areas
A

After being trained to match amounts of dots (non-symbolic), signal from the brain was recorded during the performance of the numerosity matching task.

  • L(lateral)IP
  • M(medial)IP
  • V(ventral)IP
  • There was a neuron that responded the most to number 1 (less to 2, then less to 3, 4, 5)
  • Another neuron, responded later than the first one and responded more to 4 and 5 (then less to 3, 2, 1)
  • Neurons found to respond mostly in PFC (most activity), however, earlier responses recorded in VIP (signals travel IPS -> PFC)

!!!Found some neurons that responded most to particular numbers (Number selective neurons) in IPS

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16
Q

Piazza et al (2004):

fMRI: Do humans have number selective neurons (dots = non-symbolic)?

A

Presented participants with a stream of stimuli (e.g. adapting participants to 16 dots with various sizes and configurations)

  • occasionally, a deviant amount of dots will appear (e.g. 8 = far deviation / 14 = close deviation)

As you get adapted to 16 dots, there is less firing with each presentation…

  • if a deviant numerosity is presented, the neurons are not adapted to that amount so activity will be larger
17
Q

Harvey et al (2013)

Numerosity map?

A

Superior Parietal Lobule (SPL) seems to have areas that respond more to certain numerosities (numbers map onto certain parts of the lobule)

  • used a method of adaptation
18
Q

Number Form Area: What bone disrupts fMRI signal around putative location

A

petrous bone

part of the temporal bone

19
Q

Grotheer, Herrmann & Kovacs (2016)
Discovering the Number Form Area (with fMRI)

presented Numbers/Letters/Objects in three different versions (Standard, False which look like some symbols, Noise which are just masks)

A

Found a Number Form area in BOTH hemis

  • activation was higher for numbers compared to false numbers, letters and objects

There is also a Letter Form area found only in the LEFT hemi

20
Q

Grotheer, Ambrus & Kovacs (2016): Disrupting the RIGHT Number Form Area (NFA) to investigate functionality

A

Decided to disrupt RIGHT Number Form Area, this disrupted accuracy for Numbers

BUT also,

disrupted accuracy for Letters to a lesser extent than for numbers (the previous study did not find activity for Letters in the RIGHT hemisphere, only in Left)

21
Q

Grabner et al (2007):

fMRI study of calculation

A
  • Found out each participant’s mathematical-numerical IQ
  • placed them in fMRI where they done calculations
  • activation in the left Angular Gyrus was sig related to numerical IQ (r = .63)

!!!! The higher numerical IQ, the higher that participant’s activation of left Angular Gyrus during calculations

22
Q

Arsalidou & Taylor (2011):

Meta-analysis of arithmetic calculation

A
  • Areas of the Triple-code model (different types of number processing) were consistent

Proposed updates of areas which are also involved along the Triple-code model areas:

  • Arithmetic Neural networks = Core Neurocognitive processes (Menon, 2015)
23
Q

Menon (2015):

Arithmetic Neural networks = Core Neurocognitive processes

A

Number Form Area + Intraparietal Sulcus (IPS) = Visuospatial representation of numerical quantity

For arithmetic tasks, you need a hierarchy of short-term representations (lasting several seconds)

Menon proposed that there are Procedural and WM systems responsible for this and involve these areas:

  • IPS & SMG (Supramarginal Gyrus)
  • Pre-motor cortex (PMC)
  • Supplementary motor area (SMA)
  • Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
  • ## Basal Ganglia (BG)Areas important for Long-term memory formation and integration in calculation:
  • Angular Gyrus
  • Medial Temporal Lobe
  • Anterior Temporal Lobe

Guidance and maintenance of attention, problem solving and decision making involves these areas:

  • Anterior insula (AI)
  • Ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC)
24
Q

Cantlon et al (2006):

Intraparietal Sulcus activation in 4-yr-olds through non symbolic numerates (clusters of dots)

A
  • children show similar adaptation to numbers as adults, there is overlap in the right intraparietal sulcus
25
Q

Rivera et al (2005):

Changes in activation with age (8-20) during mental arithmetic

A

With age, activity increases in:

  • left Parietal Cortex
  • Lateral Occipito-Temporal areas
  • left Supramarginal Gyrus

With age, activity decreases in:

  • Frontal cortex areas
  • Anterior Temporal Lobes

These areas are involved in WM, as we become more proficient we require less WM due to efficiency in arithmetic tasks

26
Q

Mathematical difficulties (DSM V)

A

Mathematical difficulties are classified as a form of a specific learning disorder:

  • Neurodevelopmental disorder of biological origin
  • Manifested in learning difficulty and problems in acquiring academic skills markedly below age level (manifested in early school years)
  • Lasts at least 6 months
  • Cannot be attributed to intellectual disabilities/developmental, neurological or motor disorders

Can be mild/moderate/severe
- If severe, it is known as dyscalculia

27
Q

Isaacs et al (2001):

Brain bases of developmental dyscalculia: STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES

A
  • Lower grey matter density in left Intraparietal Sulcus in individuals with dyscalculia compared to healthy counterparts
28
Q

Ashkenazi et al (2013):

Brain bases of developmental dyscalculia: FUNCTIONAL DIFFERENCES

A

Looked at differences in fMRI activation in children with developmental dyscalculia vs controls across 3 numeric tasks:

Non-symbolic comparison (dots):

  • right Intraparietal Sulcus
  • Fusiform Gyrus
Symbolic comparison (Arabic Nums):
- right Intraparietal Sulcus

Regular Arithmetic (Addition/subtraction):

  • right Intraparietal Sulcus
  • Fusiform Gyrus

Depending on task, some activate more some less in dyscalculia (Not full understood why, possibly some compensation?)