Typical numerosity adaptation despite selectively impaired number acuity in dyscalculia

Publication date: Available online 15 October 2018Source: NeuropsychologiaAuthor(s): Giovanni Anobile, Guido Marco Cicchini, Filippo Gasperini, David C. BurrAbstractIt has been suggested that a core deficit of the “number sense” may underlie dyscalculia. We test this idea by measuring perceptual adaptation and discrimination thresholds for numerosity and object size in a group of dyscalculic and typical preadolescents (N=71, mean age 12). We confirmed that numerosity discrimination thresholds are higher in developmental dyscalculia, while size thresholds are not affected. However, dyscalculics adapted to numerosity in a similar way to typicals. This suggests that although numerosity thresholds are selectively higher in dyscalculia, the mechanisms for perceiving numerosity are otherwise similar, suggesting that that have a similar, but perhaps noisier, number sense.

Source: Neuropsychologia - October 15, 2018 Category: Neurology Source Type: research