Developmental Dyscalculia

2015 ◽  
Vol 223 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg-Tobias Kuhn
Keyword(s):  
Number Processing ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Cognitive Profiles ◽  
Developmental Dyscalculia ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Magnitude Processing ◽  
Specific Learning Disorder ◽  
Behavioral Evidence ◽  
Fact Retrieval

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a specific learning disorder that affects the acquisition of arithmetic skills and number processing in children. A high comorbidity between DD and other neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., dyslexia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]) as well as substantial heterogeneity in cognitive profiles have been reported. Current studies indicate that DD is persistent, has a genetic component, and is related to functional and structural alterations of brain areas involved in magnitude representation. Recent neuronal and behavioral evidence is presented, showing that DD entails (a) impairments in two preverbal core systems of number, an approximate system for estimating larger magnitudes and an exact system for representing small magnitudes, (b) deficits in symbolic number processing, (c) aberrant and nonadaptive neuronal activation in basic magnitude processing and calculation, (d) dysfunctional arithmetic fact retrieval and persistent use of counting strategies in calculation, and (e) deficits in visuospatial working memory and the central executive. Finally, open research questions, including the role of domain-general cognitive resources in DD, causes and developmental consequences of comorbidity, as well as design and evaluation of interventions for DD, are briefly discussed.

Neural Correlates of Symbolic Number Comparison in Developmental Dyscalculia

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 860-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Mussolin ◽  
Anne De Volder ◽  
Cécile Grandin ◽  
Xavier Schlögel ◽  
Marie-Cécile Nassogne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Number Processing ◽  
Numerical Distance ◽  
Comparison Task ◽  
Developmental Dyscalculia ◽  
Disability History ◽  
Magnitude Processing ◽  
Number Magnitude ◽  
Number Comparison ◽  
The Right ◽  
Symbolic Number

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a deficit in number processing and arithmetic that affects 3–6% of schoolchildren. The goal of the present study was to analyze cerebral bases of DD related to symbolic number processing. Children with DD aged 9–11 years and matched children with no learning disability history were investigated using fMRI. The two groups of children were controlled for general cognitive factors, such as working memory, reading abilities, or IQ. Brain activations were measured during a number comparison task on pairs of Arabic numerals and a color comparison task on pairs of nonnumerical symbols. In each task, pairs of stimuli that were close or far on the relevant dimension were constituted. Brain activation in bilateral intraparietal sulcus (IPS) was modulated by numerical distance in controls but not in children with DD. Moreover, although the right IPS responded to numerical distance only, the left IPS was influenced by both numerical and color distances in control children. Our findings suggest that dyscalculia is associated with impairment in areas involved in number magnitude processing and, to a lesser extent, in areas dedicated to domain-general magnitude processing.

Examining the Role of Language in Play Among Children With and Without Developmental Disabilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 795-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth J. Short ◽  
Rachael Cooper Schindler ◽  
Rita Obeid ◽  
Maia M. Noeder ◽  
Laura E. Hlavaty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Free Play ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Play Skills ◽  
Critical Aspect ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Better Than

Purpose Play is a critical aspect of children's development, and researchers have long argued that symbolic deficits in play may be diagnostic of developmental disabilities. This study examined whether deficits in play emerge as a function of developmental disabilities and whether our perceptions of play are colored by differences in language and behavioral presentations. Method Ninety-three children participated in this study (typically developing [TD]; n = 23, developmental language disorders [DLD]; n = 24, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]; n = 26, and autism spectrum disorder [ASD]; n = 20). Children were videotaped engaging in free-play. Children's symbolic play (imagination, organization, elaboration, and comfort) was scored under conditions of both audible language and no audible language to assess diagnostic group differences in play and whether audible language impacted raters' perception of play. Results Significant differences in play were evident across diagnostic groups. The presence of language did not alter play ratings for the TD group, but differences were found among the other diagnostic groups. When language was audible, children with DLD and ASD (but not ADHD) were scored poorly on play compared to their TD peers. When language was not audible, children with DLD were perceived to play better than when language was audible. Conversely, children with ADHD showed organizational deficits when language was not available to support their play. Finally, children with ASD demonstrated poor play performance regardless of whether language was audible or not. Conclusions Language affects our understanding of play skills in some young children. Parents, researchers, and clinicians must be careful not to underestimate or overestimate play based on language presentation. Differential skills in language have the potential to unduly influence our perceptions of play for children with developmental disabilities.

Basic numerical processing, calculation, and working memory in children with dyscalculia and/or ADHD symptoms

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 365-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg-Tobias Kuhn ◽  
Elena Ise ◽  
Julia Raddatz ◽  
Christin Schwenk ◽  
Christian Dobel
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Verbal Working Memory ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Cognitive Profiles ◽  
Adhd Symptoms ◽  
Memory Processing ◽  
Numerical Processing ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Neurocognitive Measures

Abstract. Objective: Deficits in basic numerical skills, calculation, and working memory have been found in children with developmental dyscalculia (DD) as well as children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This paper investigates cognitive profiles of children with DD and/or ADHD symptoms (AS) in a double dissociation design to obtain a better understanding of the comorbidity of DD and ADHD. Method: Children with DD-only (N = 33), AS-only (N = 16), comorbid DD+AS (N = 20), and typically developing controls (TD, N = 40) were assessed on measures of basic numerical processing, calculation, working memory, processing speed, and neurocognitive measures of attention. Results: Children with DD (DD, DD+AS) showed deficits in all basic numerical skills, calculation, working memory, and sustained attention. Children with AS (AS, DD+AS) displayed more selective difficulties in dot enumeration, subtraction, verbal working memory, and processing speed. Also, they generally performed more poorly in neurocognitive measures of attention, especially alertness. Children with DD+AS mostly showed an additive combination of the deficits associated with DD-only and A_Sonly, except for subtraction tasks, in which they were less impaired than expected. Conclusions: DD and AS appear to be related to largely distinct patterns of cognitive deficits, which are present in combination in children with DD+AS.


The Role of Chess in the Intellectual Development of Childrens from Primary School

2019 ◽  
pp. 58-62
Author(s):  
Vlad Stegariu ◽  
Simona Andreea Popușoi ◽  
Beatrice Abălașei ◽  
Nicolae Lucian Voinea ◽  
Ioan Stelescu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Development ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Intellectual Development ◽  
Resources Allocation ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
One Year ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Chess Playing

Chess playing has a significant role in participants’ resources allocation, both at a psychological level, but mostly concerning the cognitive resources. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of chess playing on the intellectual development of primary-class students. 67 children were tested using the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices and were distributed in three different groups according to their experience with chess, namely: the control group (formed by students with no experience with chess playing), the beginners group (students with less than one year in chess playing training) and the advanced group (children with more than two years experience with chess). Results indicated that chess playing had a significant effect on the SPM performance, indicating that those in the advanced group performed significantly better than those in the control or in the beginners group. Conclusions of this study tap into the benefits of playing chess with a focus on the children’s’ cognitive development.

Human Capital and Administrative Burden: The Role of Cognitive Resources in Citizen-State Interactions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Christensen ◽  
Lene Aarøe ◽  
Martin Bækgaard ◽  
Pamela Herd ◽  
Donald P. Moynihan
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Administrative Burden

scholarly journals Event-Based Prospective Memory Deficit in Children with ADHD: Underlying Cognitive Factors and Association with Symptoms

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5849
Author(s):  
Floriana Costanzo ◽  
Elisa Fucà ◽  
Deny Menghini ◽  
Antonella Rita Circelli ◽  
Giovanni Augusto Carlesimo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Memory ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Attentional Focus ◽  
Adhd Group ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Children With Adhd ◽  
The Road ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Event Based

Event-based prospective memory (PM) was investigated in children with Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), using a novel experimental procedure to evaluate the role of working memory (WM) load, attentional focus, and reward sensitivity. The study included 24 children with ADHD and 23 typically-developing controls. The experimental paradigm comprised one baseline condition (BC), only including an ongoing task, and four PM conditions, varying for targets: 1 Target (1T), 4 Targets (4T), Unfocal (UN), and Reward (RE). Children with ADHD were slower than controls on all PM tasks and less accurate on both ongoing and PM tasks on the 4T and UN conditions. Within the ADHD group, the accuracy in the RE condition did not differ from BC. A significant relationship between ADHD-related symptoms and reduced accuracy/higher speed in PM conditions (PM and ongoing trials), but not in BC, was detected. Our data provide insight on the adverse role of WM load and attentional focus and the positive influence of reward in the PM performance of children with ADHD. Moreover, the relation between PM and ADHD symptoms paves the road for PM as a promising neuropsychological marker for ADHD diagnosis and intervention.

scholarly journals Heart and Mind: Essential Components in Sound Decision-Making

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 364-364
Author(s):  
Michaela Clark ◽  
Julie Hicks Patrick ◽  
Michaela Reardon
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Decision Quality ◽  
Cluster Solution ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Cluster Membership ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Affective Components ◽  
Heart And Mind

Abstract Consumer tasks permit an ecologically-valid context in which to examine the contributions of affective and cognitive resources to decision-making processes and outcomes. Although previous work shows that cognitive factors are important when individuals make decisions (Patrick et al., 2013; Queen et al.), the role of affective components is less clear. We examine these issues in two studies. Study 1 used data from 1000+ adults to inform a cluster analysis examining affective aspects (importance, meaningfulness) of making different types of decisions. A 4-cluster solution resulted. In Study 2, we used affective cluster membership and cognitive performance as predictors of experimental decision-making outcomes among a subset of participants (N = 60). Results of the regression (F(2, 40) = 6.51, p < .01, R2 = .25.) revealed that both the affective clusters (b = .37, p = .01) and cognitive ability (b = -.30, p = .04) uniquely contributed to the variance explained in decision quality. Age did not uniquely contribute. Results are discussed in the context of developing measures that enable us to move the field forward.

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