Neural indicators of numerical abilities in the infant human brain: A systematic review

IF 5.7 1区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL

Developmental Review Pub Date : 2024-09-11 DOI:10.1016/j.dr.2024.101150

E. Visibelli , A. Porru , D. Lucangeli , B. Butterworth , S. Benavides-Varela

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Infants are thought to possess an innate specific capacity to process numerical information. In this article, we review the past research that has focused on unveiling the timing and localization of the related brain mechanisms with the purpose of depicting a neurodevelopmental blueprint of this capacity from birth. A systematic search of studies published between 1998 and 2023 was conducted. A total of 21 studies with 732 participants (age rage: 30 weeks of gestation to 6 years) met the study selection criterion. EEG, fMRI and fNIRS studies consistently support the existence of brain responses (mainly in the right parietal, bilateral frontal and occipital cortex) that reflect sensitivity to numerical features even before birth. These enable the infant brain to code numerical information independently of other non-numerical magnitude dimensions. Small (<4) or large (>4) numerosities seem to diverge in dissociable brain responses from the second semester of life, suggesting a neurodevelopmental specialization. Variations in the brain’s sensitivity to numerical information across participants and whether they can anticipate the individual’s development of future numerical skills remains uncertain, due to the scarcity of longitudinal studies. Understanding how familial and other contextual factors shape these initial biological predispositions and give rise to typical and atypical trajectories requires further investigation.

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婴儿人脑中数字能力的神经指标：系统回顾

人们认为，婴儿天生就具有处理数字信息的特殊能力。在本文中，我们回顾了过去的研究，这些研究的重点是揭示相关大脑机制的时间和定位，目的是描绘出这种能力从出生开始的神经发育蓝图。我们对 1998 年至 2023 年间发表的研究进行了系统检索。共有 21 项研究的 732 名参与者（年龄：妊娠 30 周至 6 岁）符合研究选择标准。脑电图（EEG）、核磁共振成像（fMRI）和核红外成像（fNIRS）研究一致支持存在大脑反应（主要在右顶叶、双侧额叶和枕叶皮层），这些反应甚至在出生前就反映出对数字特征的敏感性。这些反应使婴儿大脑能够独立于其他非数字幅度维度对数字信息进行编码。从出生后的第二个学期开始，小（4）或大（4）数字的大脑反应似乎就出现了差异，这表明了一种神经发育特化。由于缺乏纵向研究，大脑对数字信息的敏感性在不同参与者之间的变化以及它们是否能预测个体未来数字技能的发展仍不确定。要了解家庭和其他环境因素如何形成这些最初的生物倾向，并导致典型和非典型的发展轨迹，还需要进一步的研究。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Developmental Review PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL-

CiteScore

11.00

自引率

3.00%

发文量

审稿时长

51 days

期刊介绍： Presenting research that bears on important conceptual issues in developmental psychology, Developmental Review: Perspectives in Behavior and Cognition provides child and developmental, child clinical, and educational psychologists with authoritative articles that reflect current thinking and cover significant scientific developments. The journal emphasizes human developmental processes and gives particular attention to issues relevant to child developmental psychology. The research concerns issues with important implications for the fields of pediatrics, psychiatry, and education, and increases the understanding of socialization processes.