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Contributions of neuroscience to the learning of numerical abilities

M. Gracia-Bafalluy, E. Escolano-Pérez [REV NEUROL 2014;58:69-76] PMID: 24399623 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33588/rn.5802.2013262

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Volumen 58 | Number 02 | Nº of views of the article 12.622 | Nº of PDF downloads 2.589 | Article publication date 16/01/2014

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ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION Mathematic difficulties are relatively frequent at school. With some frequency they appear associated to other troubles and learning disorders, thus provoking anxiety feelings in children. In case of not intervening on such difficulties their consequences may be extended until adulthood. Despite that, their intervention has not been widely administered, notably in the educational ambit. The main reason is that there is not a unique definition, which makes their detection not easy. However, some of the recent advances in neuroscience could improve this situation.

AIM To review and summarize the main contributions provided by the neuroimaging techniques to the learning of numerical abilities and their difficulties, and how these techniques could be useful to intervene on the educational practice. DEVELOPMENT. The ample advances of the neuroimaging techniques have allowed us the access to relevant information regarding the brain areas underlying each numerical task at childhood and at adulthood, and that made possible the design of intervention programs addressed to improve children’ learning when there are any numerical difficulties. Some of the results obtained after the administration of these programs are positive, but they are not very generalizable yet.

CONCLUSIONS In the future it should be expanded the use of neuroimaging techniques in order to implement the explanation of learning processes and detecting areas that, in case of not being correctly activated, could lead to any mathematic difficulties. Ultimately, research supported by these techniques should assist the development of programs devoted to intervene on mathematics in the educational field. KeywordsHuman development Mathematics learning Mathematics learning difficulties Mathematics teaching Neuroimaging Numerical cognition Parietal cortex CategoriesNeurociencia básica Neuroimagen Neuropsicología

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Contributions of neuroscience to the learning of numerical abilities