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Abstract:
Mathematical cognition is a cognitive domain that is crucial not only for academic and professional success but also for
quantitative reasoning in daily life. However, a wide range of individuals, including school-age children, adolescents, and
even young adults, have difficulties in learning mathematics, which originates from their innate deficits in the structural
and functional aspects of the brain. This type of difficulty, which is also known as mathematical learning disability (MLD),
is a serious disorder with specific deficits in numerical and mathematical abilities, although intelligence and other
cognitive skills remain intact. In this review, we discuss about contemporary studies that have used neuroimaging
techniques to investigate the neural mechanisms of MLD, highlighting (1) the cognitive and behavioral impairments in
numerical quantities and basic arithmetic problemsolving; (2) the neural circuits of numerical problem-solving
encompassing the posterior parietal cortex, prefrontal cortex, anterior and lateral temporal lobes, and ventrotemporal
occipital cortex; (3) the neurofunctional deficits of MLD anchored in the numerical problemsolving network; and (4) the
interventional studies on MLD and the tutoring effect that induces behavioral and widespread neural plasticity. Finally,
based on the current literature, we propose critical issues that remain unsolved for local cognitive neuroscientists and
educators. Through the lens of the state-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques, the understanding of how individuals learn
mathematics that is the hallmark of human cognition will be uncovered.
Author:
Author Description:
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Research Center for Mind, Brain & Learning, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan; Research Assistant, Research Center for Mind, Brain & Learning, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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APA:
Chang, T.-T., & Lung, T.-C. (2017). The cognitive neural mechanism of mathematical learning disabilities: Insights from magnetic resonance imaging studies. Contemporary Educational Research Quarterly, 25(4), 173-206.
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