Abacus Training Modulates the Neural Correlates of Exact and Approximate Calculations in Chinese Children: An fMRI Study
Joint Authors
Du, Fenglei
Chen, Feiyan
Li, Yongxin
Hu, Yuzheng
Tian, Mei
Zhang, Hong
Source
Issue
Vol. 2013, Issue 2013 (31 Dec. 2013), pp.1-12, 12 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2013-10-30
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
12
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
Exact (EX) and approximate (AP) calculations rely on distinct neural circuits.
However, the training effect on the neural correlates of EX and AP calculations is largely unknown, especially for the AP calculation.
Abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) is a particular arithmetic skill that can be acquired by long-term abacus training.
The present study investigated whether and how the abacus training modulates the neural correlates of EX and AP calculations by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Neural activations were measured in 20 abacus-trained and 19 nontrained Chinese children during AP and EX calculation tasks.
Our results demonstrated that: (1) in nontrained children, similar neural regions were activated in both tasks, while the size of activated regions was larger in AP than those in the EX; (2) in abacus-trained children, no significant difference was found between these two tasks; (3) more visuospatial areas were activated in abacus-trained children under the EX task compared to the nontrained.
These results suggested that more visuospatial strategies were used by the nontrained children in the AP task compared to the EX; abacus-trained children adopted a similar strategy in both tasks; after long-term abacus training, children were more inclined to apply a visuospatial strategy during processing EX calculations.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Du, Fenglei& Chen, Feiyan& Li, Yongxin& Hu, Yuzheng& Tian, Mei& Zhang, Hong. 2013. Abacus Training Modulates the Neural Correlates of Exact and Approximate Calculations in Chinese Children: An fMRI Study. BioMed Research International،Vol. 2013, no. 2013, pp.1-12.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1004888
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Du, Fenglei…[et al.]. Abacus Training Modulates the Neural Correlates of Exact and Approximate Calculations in Chinese Children: An fMRI Study. BioMed Research International No. 2013 (2013), pp.1-12.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1004888
American Medical Association (AMA)
Du, Fenglei& Chen, Feiyan& Li, Yongxin& Hu, Yuzheng& Tian, Mei& Zhang, Hong. Abacus Training Modulates the Neural Correlates of Exact and Approximate Calculations in Chinese Children: An fMRI Study. BioMed Research International. 2013. Vol. 2013, no. 2013, pp.1-12.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1004888
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-1004888