Project description DEENESFRITPL How baby’s brain processes numbers Neuroscientists have already established that the human preverbal infant brain can master numerical information long before achieving symbolic knowledge of physical reality. Infants can even represent quantities and solve addition or subtraction problems. In fact, humans might be born with these abilities based on core systems allowing us to track few objects and evaluate quantities through different sensory means. However, neuroscientists know little about cognitive abilities based on prefrontal core activation that support number processing, such as mastering of memory or attention – necessary in mental calculation. The EU-funded NumBraInf project aims to study the organisation and role of the prefrontal cognitive abilities in number procession during infancy. The research will deepen existing knowledge about the crucial processes of human learning. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective One of the most critical quests of neuroscientists is the discovery of the origin of human cognition, such as number processing. Previous studies have shown that the ability to process numerical information in adulthood can be traced back to the first months of life. Although the natural number concept is not expressed until childhood it is built upon a nonsymbolic competency (e.g. child A has more toys than child B) that has an evolutionary origin and is available early in life.The human infant brain is the only known system, which is able to master a natural language and symbolic knowledge that represents the external world. Fascinatingly, infants are able to represent and discriminate quantities, solve addition and subtraction problems, calculate probabilities, and understand ordinality. These abilities rely on two core systems: (1) track a small number of individuals and (2) estimate the numerosity of large sets across different sensory modalities.However, the role of supportive cognitive abilities in number processing has been overlooked in both behavioral and neuroimaging studies in infants. Studies in adults, and even more in children, frequently reveal that in addition to the above-mentioned magnitude processing ability – understanding the quantities – different cognitive abilities – e.g. working memory, inhibition, sustained attention – are needed for number processing and arithmetic. These cognitive abilities mainly rely on prefrontal activation.Furthermore, as an index of maturation, myelination in the prefrontal cortex takes place before that in several other brain regions, such as the temporal lobe. Infant studies in other domains have already revealed the involvement of the prefrontal cortex in response to the mother’s voice, and when working memory is elicited. So, in this project, I investigate the role of prefrontal cognitive abilities in number processing in infancy, which might be crucial to explaining human learning. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesevolutionary biologynatural sciencesmathematicspure mathematicsarithmetics Keywords Mathematics Numerical Cognition Magnitude Process Cognitive Process Developmental Trajectory Infant Prefrontal and Parietal Cortex Neuroimaging functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2018 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2018 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator EBERHARD KARLS UNIVERSITAET TUEBINGEN Net EU contribution € 264 669,12 Address Geschwister-scholl-platz 72074 Tuebingen Germany See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Tübingen Tübingen, Landkreis Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Partner Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement. PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE United States Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Massachusetts avenue 1350 02138 Cambridge See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 177 265,92
