הנכם מוזמנים למפגש מהסדרה חושבים מתמטיקה
שיתקיים ביום חמישי 18.03.10, 16:15-17:45 בבניין חינוך, חדר  566

Abstract. (ההרצאה תנתן בעברית) Developments in cognitive neuroscience have lead to a basic conception that Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) is caused by a discrete cognitive deficit, independent of other cognitive abilities. Specifically, it is well established that children, adults, and nonhuman animals have the innate capacity to develop a solid sense of numbers and that in cases of DD this may go awry over developmental time. Moreover, current trials that focus on identifying reliable biological markers of DD, point to a main biological marker: an Intraparietal sulcus abnormality. Accordingly, based on investigations of low-level, number-relevant cognitive functions (such as counting and subitizing), our data suggest that in some cases, DD is indeed a biologically based disorder that is caused by a discrete cognitive deficit. Nevertheless, DD can be considered a specific pure disorder only in a minority of cases. Like the majority of developmental disorders cases, multiple problems are the rule. Accordingly, we focus on the cognitive, behavioral and biological aspects of cases of children with DD that have associated learning problems such as dyslexia or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Specifically, we studied the effects of stimulant medication on arithmetic performance in children with ADHD who varied in reading and arithmetic abilities. We show that behavioral manifestations of arithmetic problems in ADHD, DD or reading disabilities may have different behavioral underpinnings and present a differential response to stimulant medication, depending on their co-occurrence.