Longitudinal fMRI and DTI Studies of Mathematical Disabilities

描述(申请人提供)：数学认知不仅是在理工科取得成功的关键，而且是日常生活中的一项重要技能，在正规教育中仅次于阅读。然而，在美国，学龄儿童和大学生中普遍存在数学困难。正如总统国家数学咨询小组的结论所强调的那样，了解数学发展的进程和机制是国家优先事项。最近的认知、发展和教育研究为数学残疾儿童持久的行为缺陷提供了新的见解。然而，对儿童MD的神经和解剖学基础知之甚少。我们建议的首要目标是继续一系列富有成效的研究，调查幼儿MD的认知和大脑机制。我们将使用认知和系统神经科学的方法，结合最先进的功能磁共振成像(FMRI)、结构磁共振成像和扩散张量成像(DTI)技术来实现这一目标。我们的研究集中在7-10岁(2年级、3年级和4年级)，这是掌握核心算术技能的重要时期，为以后的数学学习提供支持。一项前瞻性的纵向设计将被用来阐明MD儿童算术能力低下的神经相关性，并研究为什么一些MD儿童有持续性的缺陷，而另一些没有。我们建议的研究集中在三组儿童：(1)有持续性残疾(各年级成绩低)的数学学习障碍(MLD)儿童，(2)成绩不佳但变量(LA-V)的儿童，他们在一年的表现技能落后，第二年正常，(3)典型发育(TD)儿童。我们将描述在加法和减法这两种基本和互补的算术运算中，信息处理缺陷的行为、认知和神经特征，它们在任务复杂性和有效提取方面存在差异。对来自同一儿童的DTI和fMRI数据的分析将有助于对持续性MD的核心神经解剖学缺陷的重要新知识。新的多变量模式识别技术，可以检测激活模式的细粒度差异，将被用来提高我们发现MD儿童数学信息的异常神经表征的能力。纵向研究设计将使我们能够(1)评估与算术技能发展有关的大脑反应和连通性在受试者内和受试者之间的变异性和稳定性，以及(2)识别表征发育不良和正常的神经发育变化的潜在类别。我们提出的研究将为MD的神经相关性提供新的见解，并在多大程度上改变MD儿童在发育过程中参与算术处理的大脑网络的招募。通过提供有关儿童MD的神经功能和神经解剖学基础的基本知识，以及它们如何随时间变化，我们将能够为早期提高数学技能的行为和教育策略的发展提供信息。 公共卫生相关性：了解数学发展的进程和机制数学技能是国家优先事项，总统国家数学小组的成立强调了这一点。5%到8%的儿童表现出某种形式的数学学习障碍，对学业、职业和职业成功造成终身不利的后果。我们建议的首要目标是继续一系列富有成效的研究，调查幼儿MD潜在的认知和大脑机制。我们的研究结果不仅对确定儿童的数学学习有重要意义，而且对理解数学学习障碍背后的认知和大脑过程也有重要意义。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mathematical cognition is critical not only for success in science and engineering but also as an important skill in everyday life, second only to reading in formal education. Yet, mathematical difficulties are widespread in school-age children and college students in the US. Understanding the progression and mechanisms of mathematical development is a national priority, as emphasized by the conclusions of the President's National Mathematics Advisory Panel. Recent cognitive, developmental and educational studies have provided new insights into the enduring behavioral deficits in children with mathematical disabilities (MD). However, little is known about the neural and anatomical bases of MD in children. The overarching objective of our proposal is to continue a productive line of research investigating cognitive and brain mechanisms underlying MD in young children. We will use a cognitive and systems neuroscience approach coupled with state-of-the-art functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), structural MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) techniques to achieve this objective. Our study focuses on ages 7-10 (grades 2, 3 and 4), a period important for mastering core arithmetic skills that support later mathematics learning. A prospective longitudinal design will be used to elucidate the neural correlates of poor arithmetic skills in children with MD and examine why some children with MD have persistent deficits whereas others do not. Our proposed studies focus on three groups of children: (1) children with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD) who have persistent disabilities (low achievement across grades), (2) low achieving but variable (LA-V) children who lag in performance skills in one year and are normal the next, and (3) typically developing (TD) children. We will characterize the behavioral, cognitive and neural profile of information processing deficits during addition and subtraction, two basic and complementary arithmetic operations that differ in task complexity and efficient retrieval. Analysis of DTI and fMRI data acquired from the same children will contribute important new knowledge about core neuroanatomical deficits in persistent MD. Novel multivariate pattern recognition techniques, which detect fine-grained differences in activation patterns, will be used to increase our ability to uncover aberrant neural representations of mathematical information in children with MD. The longitudinal study design will allow us to (1) assess intra- and inter-subject variability and stability of brain response and connectivity in relation to arithmetic skill development, and (2) identify latent classes of neurodevelopmental changes characterizing poor and normal development. Our proposed studies will provide new insights into the neural correlates of MD, and the extent to which increased recruitment of brain networks involved in arithmetic processing during development is altered in children with MD. By providing essential knowledge about the neurofunctional and neuroanatomical substrates of MD in children, and how they change with time, we will be able to inform the development of behavioral and educational strategies for improving mathematical skills at an early age. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Understanding the progression and mechanisms of mathematical development mathematical skills is a national priority, as emphasized by the formation of the President's National Mathematics Panel. Between 5 to 8% of children demonstrate some form of mathematical learning disability, with adverse life-long consequences for academic, vocational and professional success. The overarching objective of our proposal is to continue a productive line of research investigating the cognitive and brain mechanisms underlying MD in young children. Findings from our study will not only have important implications for determining mathematical learning in children, but also for understanding the cognitive and brain processes underlying mathematical learning disabilities.