Description du projet
L’IRM explique comment le cerveau humain apprend les mathématiques
Le projet NeuroMath, financé par l’UE, va comparer les mécanismes neuronaux de l’apprentissage chez les enfants et les adultes. Il se penchera également sur le rôle du langage dans l’acquisition des mathématiques, ainsi que sur les corrélations entre certains marqueurs neuronaux spécifiques et les décrochages au niveau de la compréhension. Cette étude concernera l’activité cérébrale chez les enfants et les adultes au cours de l’acquisition des mathématiques. Deux expériences seront menées sous la supervision d’experts de renommée internationale dans le domaine de la cognition mathématique et du développement des «connaissances de base» en mathématiques chez les enfants en bas âge. Ces expériences expliqueront les différences d’engagement cérébral pendant l’apprentissage des mathématiques par rapport à d’autres concepts sémantiques généraux.
Objectif
How do humans learn and manipulate mathematical concepts? In previous research, I have shown that (1) advanced mathematical reflection on concepts encoded for many years does not recruit the brain circuits for language; (2) non-verbal acquisition of geometrical rules call upon a language of thought that is independent of natural spoken language. However, the question remains to understand whether advanced mathematical acquisition in schools, where knowledge is taught verbally, also dispenses with the human ability for language. Building on the expertise I have acquired in functional MRI testing of math experts, with the help of my supervisors, the present project proposes to track the evolution of children and adults' brain activity during learning. To this end, we will expose participants to typical classroom lessons with math-related content. Using fMRI, coupled with traditional general linear model and original inter-subject correlation analyses, we particularly aim to investigate whether (1) similar learning neural mechanisms are at work in adulthood and childhood; (2) language plays a role in mathematical acquisition; (3) understanding dropout correlates with a specific neural marker. A first experiment will aim to identify brain activation that changes with learning of math versus general semantic concepts in adults. It will be conducted in Italy, under the supervision of Pr. Piazza who is a leading expert in the field of math cognition, and mainly uses fMRI to study the plastic changes occurring in the brain during learning in particular of symbols (words, numbers, and math symbols). A second experiment will probe whether the neural patterns observed during adult learning of math laws also apply to children's learning of math laws such as commutativity. It will be conducted in the US, under the supervision of Pr. Spelke who is renowned for her work on the infants’ development especially of math “core knowledge”.
Champ scientifique
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinateur
38122 Trento
Italie