Starke Marc, Kiechl-Kohlendorfer Ursula, Kucian Karin, Pupp Peglow Ulrike, Kremser Christian, Schocke Michael, Kaufmann Liane
Departments of Pediatrics II, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
Neuroreport. 2013 May 29;24(8):419-24. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e32836140ed.
The aim of the present voxel-based morphometry study was to examine the link between brain structure and number skills in a group of 6-7-year-old children born prematurely, which are considered to be an at-risk population for mathematical learning disabilities. Therefore, gray and white matter density values were extracted from brain areas previously reported to be relevant for number processing in developing brain systems and, thereafter, correlated with response time results tapping semantic number knowledge [i.e. numerical distance effect (NDE) derived from a number comparison task] as well as with general math proficiency (as indexed by a standardized calculation test). Behavioral results disclosed a significant NDE, thus indicating well-established number magnitude representations for one-digit numerals in our study group. Significant positive correlations between gray matter and NDE emerged in parietal regions (including the right anterior inferior and the left superior parietal lobe) and in the right superior temporal gyrus. Moreover, white matter and NDE were negatively correlated in the right anterior inferior parietal lobe and the right inferior frontal gyrus. Overall, our results are novel insofar as they show that in 6-7-year-old children born prematurely, individual differences in gray and white matter structures are associated with numerical skills. Importantly, in our study group the observed link between brain structure and behavioral performance emerges only regarding an experimental task tapping semantic number knowledge, whereas general math proficiency does not seem to be related to individual differences in brain structure in our study group.
本基于体素的形态学研究旨在探讨一组6至7岁早产儿童的脑结构与数字技能之间的联系，这些儿童被认为是数学学习障碍的高危人群。因此，从先前报道的与发育中的脑系统数字处理相关的脑区提取灰质和白质密度值，然后将其与反映语义数字知识的反应时间结果[即从数字比较任务中得出的数字距离效应（NDE）]以及一般数学能力（由标准化计算测试指标）进行关联。行为结果显示出显著的数字距离效应，从而表明我们研究组中一位数数字的数量大小表征已确立。灰质与数字距离效应在顶叶区域（包括右侧前下叶和左侧顶上叶）以及右侧颞上回出现显著正相关。此外，白质与数字距离效应在右侧前下顶叶和右侧额下回呈负相关。总体而言，我们的结果具有新颖性，因为它们表明在6至7岁早产儿童中，灰质和白质结构的个体差异与数字技能相关。重要的是，在我们的研究组中，观察到的脑结构与行为表现之间的联系仅出现在一项反映语义数字知识的实验任务中，而一般数学能力似乎与我们研究组中脑结构的个体差异无关。
