Ren, Xueying
(2024)
Understanding the Neural Basis of Math Competence in Both Children and Adults.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
This is the latest version of this item.
Abstract
Developing math skills at an early age is important, as it lays the foundation for acquiring advanced quantitative abilities and success in modern society. However, substantial individual differences in math performance and learning abilities exist, and the neural bases for these differences remain unclear. To address this gap, in my dissertation, I collected functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 104 adults (mean age = 23.25 years) and 88 children (mean age = 9.75 years) to localize brain regions activated during number comparisons of different numerical formats compared to phonological comparisons of the same stimuli. I identified two sets of brain regions: a conservative set (Tier 1 regions) that consistently emerged in both children and adults in univariate and conjunction analyses, and a broad set (Tier 2 regions) of additional distinct brain regions beyond Tier 1, that emerged from a peak-finding algorithm applied to the averaged statistical activation maps from both children and adults. Tier 1 regions included the left inferior occipital gyrus, the right inferior parietal cortex, and the right intraparietal sulcus. Tier 2 regions comprised the left fusiform gyrus, the right inferior/middle occipital gyrus, and the left middle occipital gyrus. I then calculated the mean functional connectivity for each tier and between tiers separately for adults and children and conducted Pearson correlations to assess the relations between the brain connectivity and math abilities measured the math subtests of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement. For adults, there was a significant positive correlation between average Tier 2 connectivity and math abilities, indicating that stronger connectivity within visual processing areas is associated with better math skills in adults. Interestingly, for children, there were significant negative correlations between average Tier 1 and between-tier connectivity, and math abilities. In other words, children with weaker connections between visual processing areas and parietal regions show greater math abilities. These analyses offer a comprehensive understanding of the neural underpinnings of math competence and highlight the importance of exploring a broader set of brain regions and their connectivity.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
13 May 2024 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
28 March 2024 |
| Approval Date: |
13 May 2024 |
| Submission Date: |
3 April 2024 |
| Access Restriction: |
2 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 2 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
109 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > Psychology |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Math, Functional Connectivity, Children, Adults, fMRI |
| Date Deposited: |
13 May 2024 13:56 |
| Last Modified: |
13 May 2024 13:56 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/46048 |
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Understanding the Neural Basis of Math Competence in Both Children and Adults. (deposited 13 May 2024 13:56)
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