Research into a general magnitude system

Submitted by Judy Hanning on Tue, 2017-06-27 13:00
One current theory of developmental dyscalculia is that difficulty in learning and understanding mathematics in children and adolescents may be part of a neurological component that is unable to process the idea of numbers, space and time as it would in typical non-affected individuals. Recently researchers in Germany and Switzerland tested that idea using functional MRI and neuropsychological tests.

This article is a little difficult to read, but it goes along with the topic at hand, and explains a study done to support dyscalculia. It is not pitching a product and has good information.

Sixteen individuals with developmental dyscalculia and 14 individuals with typical development were tested by measuring the results from 3 different tests as functional MRI results were performed. The tests consisted of comparisons of discrete (dots) and continuous magnitude (angles) in addition to a “mental rotation task”. Despite the fact that the individuals with developmental dyscalculia performed worse the numerical and spatial part of the tasks, the test results from the discrete and continuous magnitude tests were the same as what was found in the individuals with typical development. The MRI results however showed the typical development individuals showed differences in the brain activation areas during the test. This led researchers to the conclusion that while developmental dyscalculia did not appear to be the result of a general neurologic system difficulty, it is possible that multiple components may contribute to developmental dyscalculia.
New research has been done in the theory that number, space and time might be part of a generalized magnitude system and that deficits in that system could explain Developmental Dyscalculia.
~ Author, unknown.

Key Takeaways:

1
New research has been done into the theory that numbers, time, and space could be part of a generalized magnitude system.
2
The theory suggests that deficits in this generalized magnitude system could be a cause of developmental dyscalculia.
3
The new research concludes that dyscalculia cannot be explained by deficits in a general magnitude system, and that multiple neuro-cognitive deficits contribute to the disorder.
Read the full article here:
http://dyscalculiaheadlines.com/research-into-a-general-magnitude-system/