Anatomical connectivity in children with developmental dyscalculia: A graph theory study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Numerical cognition relies on a specialized brain circuit for representing and manipulating numerical properties.
• Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) is a persistent neurodevelopmental disorder affecting mathematical skills, potentially linked to network damage.
• Previous research often focused on specific brain regions, neglecting the network perspective of numerical cognition in DD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) using a Graph Theory network approach.
• To investigate the association between brain network topological measures and numerical performance variability in children with DD.

Main Methods:

• Applied Graph Theory to analyze brain network integration and segregation in 11 school-aged children with DD and 17 typically developing controls.
• Examined the correlation between the Weber fraction (numerical precision) and the Clustering Index (information segregation).
• Compared network topological measures, including Characteristic Path Length and hub distribution, between the DD and control groups.

Main Results:

• A significant correlation was found between numerical precision (Weber fraction) and information segregation (Clustering Index) in the whole sample.
• The DD group exhibited a significantly lower Characteristic Path Length, indicating altered network integration.
• Distinct hub regions were identified: limbic hubs characterized the DD network, while control groups showed right Temporal and Frontal hubs.

Conclusions:

• Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) is associated with alterations in anatomical brain connectivity.
• These connectivity differences may impair the brain's capacity to integrate and segregate numerical information.
• A network-based approach provides novel insights into the neurobiological underpinnings of DD.