Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
Published on: May 19, 2015
Examining the Triple Code Model in numerical cognition: An fMRI study
Mikael Skagenholt1,2, Ulf Träff1, Daniel Västfjäll1,2,3,4,5
1Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
The Triple Code Model (TCM) of numerical cognition is partially supported, but requires updates. Neuroimaging reveals overlapping fronto-parietal networks for number processing, suggesting attentional interactions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Psychology
Background:
- The Triple Code Model (TCM) proposes three distinct neural representations for numbers: Arabic digits, number words, and nonsymbolic magnitudes.
- Previous research has not investigated all three numerical codes within a single functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the neural correlates of processing Arabic digits, number words, and nonsymbolic magnitudes within one fMRI paradigm.
- To test the predictions of the Triple Code Model regarding functionally dissociated neural substrates.
Main Methods:
- Forty-six adults completed three distinct tasks targeting Arabic digits, number words, and nonsymbolic numerosity.
- fMRI data were analyzed using independent task-control contrasts and parametric contrasts for task difficulty.
- Conjunction analyses identified overlapping neural correlates across numerical codes.
Main Results:
- Task-dependent neural activity partially supported the TCM, revealing some distinct substrates.
- A distributed and overlapping fronto-parietal network was implicated across all numerical codes.
- Evidence suggests format-independent, numerosity-sensitive retinotopic maps in the early visual stream.
Conclusions:
- The TCM is partially supported but needs revision to incorporate attentional processes.
- A unified fronto-parietal network underlies number processing across different formats.
- Findings suggest early visual processing involvement in numerosity representation.
More Related Videos
10:09Transferring Cognitive Tasks Between Brain Imaging Modalities: Implications for Task Design and Results Interpretation in fMRI Studies
Published on: September 22, 2014
10:33Correlating Behavioral Responses to fMRI Signals from Human Prefrontal Cortex: Examining Cognitive Processes Using Task Analysis
Published on: June 20, 2012
Related Concept Videos
Mechanistic Models: Compartment Models in Algorithms for Numerical Problem Solving
In individual population analyses, different algorithms are employed, such as Cauchy's method, which uses a...
Numerical Calculations
The solution to a problem is obtained using different methods. While manually solving algebraic symbols is one of the most common methods, the graphical method is often preferred. Computers...
Cognitive Dissonance
lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs
lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs
Pilot and Numeric Relaying