NUMELAT · Numbers in the brain: the impact of brain lateralization on numerical abilities
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2018-06-01 → 2020-08-31
- EU contribution
- €195,455
- Participants
- 2
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Numbers in the brain: the impact of brain lateralization on numerical abilities
Humans share with non-human animals a non-symbolic system for approximating magnitudes that, in humans, is considered to be fundamental for symbolic numerical abilities (i.e. formal counting). A number of studies showed that atypical brain lateralization is implicated in cognitive dysfunctions, including developmental dyscalculia (an arithmetic learning disorder). Once thought to be unique to humans, brain lateralization is now accepted as a general trait of animal brains. Despite the importance of nervous system asymmetries our knowledge of their functional consequences and their impact on cognition is still far from complete. NUMELAT aimed at investigating the impact of brain lateralization on numerical competence and behaviour using zebrafish as animal model. To this aim, the project comprised studies with fish with different degree of epithalamic asymmetries. There were three goals: 1) to assess numerical acuity in adult zebrafish, 2) to investigate the ontogeny of numerical competence and the impact of brain asymmetries on behaviour and cognition in both larvae and adults, 3) to identify the neural circuits involved in number processing using in-vivo neuroimaging in larvae while assessing numerosity.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Understanding the neural correlates of number cognition is of both intellectual and societal importance: number cognition gives fundamental insight into the evolution of cognitive processes and poor numeracy limits life chances and is a substantial cost to nations.However, the neurological basis of number processing is poorly understood. Furthermore, despite brain lateralization being associated with dyscalculia, an arithmetic learning disorder, the exact impact of brain lateralization on numerical skills is unknown. NUMELAT aims to investigate the neural circuits underlying numerical competence and how these are affected by brain lateralization using zebrafish as a model system. Zebrafish are indeed able to assess numerical magnitude, show lateralized behaviours and it is possible to image neural activity in vivo in behaving larvae. The project will: 1) test whether laterality affects the development and extent of number cognition by: (i) determining the impact of laterality on zebrafish’ ability to assess numerical magnitude. The effect of brain lateralization will be determined by comparing the performance in wild-type and laterality mutant lines. (ii) determining the impact of laterality on developmental trajectories of numerical abilities in wild-type and laterality mutant larvae. 2) Identify neural circuits involved in number processing in wild-type and mutant lines using in-vivo neuroimaging in larvae while assessing numerosity. The use of a species whose genome is sequenced and whose nervous system has been extensively studied will introduce the zebrafish as a model for the study of neurobiology of numbers, with particular regard to the cognitive dysfunctions related to brain lateralization, such as dyscalculia. By combining behavioural analysis and in vivo imaging, NUMELAT provides an innovative approach to study numerical cognition and to address the challenging question about the link between anatomical, functional and behavioural asymmetries.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON · LONDONCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
- UNIVERSITY OF BATH · BATHUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union