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Updated: Jul 29, 2026
10:06
High-resolution Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods for Human Midbrain
Published on: May 10, 2012
The mental number line and the human angular gyrus
S Göbel1, V Walsh, M F Rushworth
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3UD, England.
Neuroimage
|November 15, 2001
Summary
Investigating number magnitude representation, this study used repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the angular gyrus. Findings suggest the angular gyrus plays a key role in the brain's spatial number line organization.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Brain Stimulation
Background:
- The human brain's representation of numerical magnitude is debated.
- Understanding the neural basis of spatial number representation is crucial for cognitive science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hemispheric organization of a language-independent spatial representation of number magnitude.
- To determine the role of the angular gyrus in spatial number representation using brain stimulation.
Main Methods:
- Applied focal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the right or left angular gyrus.
- Subjects performed a number comparison task and a visuospatial search task.
- rTMS effects were compared to stimulation over the supramarginal gyrus.
Main Results:
- rTMS over the angular gyrus disrupted performance on both the number comparison and visuospatial search tasks.
- Disruption patterns suggested the angular gyrus mediates a spatial representation of number.
- rTMS on the supramarginal gyrus did not affect performance, indicating specificity.
Conclusions:
- The angular gyrus is critical for a language-independent spatial representation of number magnitude.
- Hemispheric organization of the spatial number line involves the angular gyrus.
- rTMS is a valuable tool for probing the neural basis of numerical cognition.
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