Category Archives: Research

Numeracy Numeracy

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Abstract Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) is a learning disorder affecting the ability to acquire school-level arithmetic skills, affecting approximately 3-6% of individuals. Progress in understanding the root causes of DD and how best to treat it have been impeded by lack of widespread research and variation in characterizations of the disorder across studies. However, recent years have witnessed significant growth in the field, and a growing body of behavioral and neuroimaging evidence now points to an underlying deficit in the representation and processing of numerical magnitude information as a potential core deficit in DD. An additional product of the recent progress in understanding DD is the resurgence of a distinction between ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ developmental dyscalculia. The first appears related to impaired development of brain mechanisms for processing numerical magnitude information, while the latter refers to mathematical deficits stemming from external factors such as poor teaching, low socio-economic status, and behavioral attention problems or domain-general cognitive deficits. Increased awareness of this distinction going forward, in combination with longitudinal empirical research, offers great potential for deepening our understanding of the disorder and developing effective educational interventions.

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Direct effects of dyscalculia on executive functions: revisiting mediation models

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Dyscalculia, a specific learning disability in mathematics, is linked to deficits in executive functions, yet integrative studies in Arabic-speaking contexts remain scarce. This study examined working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility collectively in children with dyscalculia. Using 64 children (32 per group), advanced techniques including Ridge regression, PCA, and ROC analysis assessed these functions. Both groups demonstrated average intelligence (Raven’s Progressive Matrices), with the dyscalculia group showing profound mathematical deficits across nine arithmetic domains. 

Read all about it HERE

Longitudinal behavioral and ERP evidence for domain-general working memory deficits in children with mathematical difficulties

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This study investigated numerical and non-numerical working memory (WM) deficits in children with Mathematical difficulties (MD) using a novel WM task that integrates both domains. This prospective longitudinal cohort study initially recruited 500 preschool children. All participants underwent comprehensive cognitive, behavioral, and electrophysiological screening. After multi-stage assessments a final sample of 54 children was selected. This sample comprised 27 children diagnosed with mathematical difficulties (27 MD children; mean age = 76 ± 4 months; 9 girls) and (27 control; mean age = 77 ± 5 months; 10 girls). Behaviorally, children with MD exhibited lower hit rates, higher false alarm (FA) rates, and significantly reduced signal detection sensitivity (d′) scores, indicating widespread WM impairments. Event-related potential (ERP) analyses revealed that the Late Posterior Negativity (LPN) component—a neural marker of WM processing—was significantly diminished in children with MD across both numerical and non-numerical WM tasks. Furthermore, logistic regression analyses demonstrated that combining behavioral (d′) and electrophysiological (LPN amplitude) indices significantly predicted group membership with considerable accuracy, underscoring their potential utility in early identification of MD. These findings support the domain-general impairment hypothesis in MD and suggests that WM deficits extend beyond numerical processing to affect broader cognitive functions.

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Dyscalculia research revealed

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Welcome to the Dyscalculia Network’s Research Webpage, ‘Dyscalculia Research Revealed’

Here you will find a range of research paper summaries alongside interviews with world-leading researchers in the field of dyscalculia.

Although dyscalculia research has been growing for decades, we know that much of it is still difficult for many people to access.

Many research papers are behind paywalls, meaning that the people who can read them freely are usually those studying or working at universities. Researchers often conduct their work to make a practical difference in education, but this becomes challenging if educators cannot access the findings. Adults with dyscalculia, parents, and family members may also want to understand the science behind dyscalculia yet often cannot easily access the papers.

Even when access is available, research papers can be challenging to understand. Many studies include complex statistical analyses and report large numbers of findings, not all of which are relevant to every reader. Without experience in research methods or scientific language, it can be difficult to identify the most important points and understand how they impact you or your practice.

We created Dyscalculia Research Revealed as a starting point to bridge this gap.

See the whole webpage HERE

When the Parietal Lobes Don’t Work as Usual

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The parietal lobe, situated at the top of the brain, is a multifaceted region responsible for processing sensory information, spatial awareness, attention, and motor control. Let us take a look at more disorders arising from dysfunction of the parietal lobe.

Balint’s Syndrome

Balint’s syndrome is like having blinders on your mind, not your eyes. It’s a condition where your brain has trouble putting together the whole picture of what you’re seeing. Imagine looking at a forest but only being able to see one tree at a time. Or trying to reach for a cup but missing it completely because you can’t guide your hand correctly.

This happens because of damage to a specific part of your brain called the parietal lobe. This area is important for understanding where things are in space and how to move your body in relation to them. When it’s injured, it can cause a mix of problems with vision and movement.

People with Balint’s syndrome often have trouble focusing their eyes on things, making it hard to follow objects as they move. They might also struggle to see more than one thing at a time, like the words on a page or the people in a room. And even if they can see something, they might have trouble reaching for it or picking it up.

It’s important to remember that people with Balint’s syndrome can see clearly, but their brain is having trouble processing the information. This can make everyday life very challenging, but with the right support and therapy, people can learn to adapt and manage the condition.

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is like having a foggy brain when it comes to numbers. It’s a learning difficulty that makes it hard to understand and use numbers. It’s not because someone is lazy or stupid; it’s how their brain works.

Imagine trying to learn a foreign language where the grammar rules just don’t click. That’s kind of what it’s like for someone with dyscalculia and numbers. Simple things like adding, subtracting, or even telling time can be a real struggle. It’s like having a puzzle with missing pieces when it comes to math.

This difficulty comes from differences in the brain. Researchers think that certain areas involved in number processing might not work as efficiently in people with dyscalculia. It’s important to remember that everyone’s brain is different, and having dyscalculia doesn’t mean someone isn’t smart. With the right support and strategies, people with dyscalculia can learn to manage their challenges and succeed.

Read more about this HERE