Longitudinal Investigation into Declarative and Procedural Memory Brain Systems Supporting the Development of Math Skills

项目摘要/摘要 虽然数学技能对学业成就、成年后的未来就业机会至关重要，但 与医疗保健相关的决策，是基础学习的基本认知和神经机制 人们对数学技能仍然知之甚少。了解导致更好地 对于那些努力提高有针对性的数学补救技术的人来说，数学学习是必不可少的 学习困难。尽管已经对长期学习和记忆系统进行了仔细的研究 一个多世纪以来，它们在语言和阅读等相关领域发挥着重要作用， 他们在塑造学习和数学技能习得的发展轨迹方面的作用仍然很大 未知。对这些机制的了解可以在理论上为我们理解 数学学习和发展，这反过来又可以揭示提高早期数学的关键杠杆点 教育和干预，以缩小那些持续存在数学缺陷的人的数学成绩差距。那里 因此，迫切需要明确、系统地研究长期和长期 记忆系统支持基本数学技能的获得和发展。继续忽视 这些记忆系统在数学中的作用将阻碍数学发展的理论和实践努力 提高对数学困难儿童干预的远期效果。 我们将实施重复测量的纵向设计，检查两个关键的记忆系统，声明性的 (DM)和程序记忆(PM)及其对一系列数学技能发展轨迹的贡献 在一年级到五年级的儿童中。测试有关每个内存系统之间的链接的特定假设 和不同的数学技能，我们将收集标准化数学成绩、算术技能和基础知识的测量 批量加工。DM和PM系统已经在神经水平上得到了很好的表征，因此要深化 了解连接数学和记忆系统的机制，我们还将收集功能神经成像 在这两个时间点进行测量，以表征大脑和行为中与学习相关的变化。重复 每个时间点的每一项测量都将使其能够考虑现有关系和先前现有关系的初始可变性 变量之间的关系，从而使我们能够预测特定数学结果的变化。通过揭示两者之间的联系 特定的记忆系统和数学相关的大脑和行为的变化，这个项目将提供最多 到目前为止，关于长期记忆机制如何有助于数学学习的综合图景。这反过来又会 在确定旨在改善教育的干预目标时，帮助消除大部分猜测 对于有和没有数学学习困难的儿童的结果。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Although mathematics skills are crucial for academic achievement, future job opportunities in adulthood, and healthcare-related decisions, the fundamental cognitive and neural mechanisms that underpin learning of basic math skills remain poorly understood. Understanding the mechanisms and specific factors that lead to better math learning is essential for those endeavoring to improve targeted remediation techniques for those with math learning difficulties. Despite the fact that long-term learning and memory systems have been carefully studied for over a century, and are well-known to play a major role in related domains such as language and reading, their role of in shaping learning and the developmental trajectory of math skill acquisition remains largely unknown. Knowledge of these mechanisms can provide a major theoretical advance in our understanding of math learning and development, which in turn can reveal critical leverage points for improving early math education and interventions to narrow the math-achievement gap for those with persistent math deficits. There is therefore a critical need for a definitive, systematic study of the specific mechanisms by which long-term memory systems support the acquisition and development of foundational math skills. Continuing to overlook the role of these memory systems in mathematics will impede theories of math development and practical efforts to improve long-term efficacy of interventions for children with math difficulties. We will implement a repeated-measures longitudinal design examining two key memory systems, declarative (DM) and procedural memory (PM), and their contributions to developmental trajectories of a range of math skills in children in 1st through 5th grades. To test specific hypotheses about the link between each memory system and different math skills, we will collect measures of standardized math achievement, arithmetic skills, and basic quantity processing. DM and PM systems have been well characterized at the neural level, so to deepen understanding of the mechanisms linking math and memory systems, we will also collect functional neuroimaging measures at both time-points to characterize learning-related changes in both brain and behavior. Repeating each measure at each time-point will make it possible to account for initial variability in and prior existing relations between variables, thus allowing us to predict changes in a particular math outcome. By revealing links between specific memory systems and math-related changes in brain and behavior, this project will provide the most comprehensive picture to date of how long-term memory mechanisms subserve math learning. This in turn will help take much of the guesswork out of determining the target of interventions aimed at improving educational outcomes for children with and without math learning difficulties.