Children identified for classroom-based math support show altered resting-state connectivity in parietal brain regions

Abstract Approximately 25% of school-age children experience mathematics difficulties (MD). Mathematics skills have been correlated with resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between parietal brain regions, including the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the angular gyrus (AG), and a fronto-pari...

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Main Authors: Isabella Starling-Alves, Lina Shanley, Madison A. Cook, Fred W. Sabb, Jolinda Smith, Ben Clarke, Eric D. Wilkey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12809-7
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author Isabella Starling-Alves
Lina Shanley
Madison A. Cook
Fred W. Sabb
Jolinda Smith
Ben Clarke
Eric D. Wilkey
author_facet Isabella Starling-Alves
Lina Shanley
Madison A. Cook
Fred W. Sabb
Jolinda Smith
Ben Clarke
Eric D. Wilkey
author_sort Isabella Starling-Alves
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Approximately 25% of school-age children experience mathematics difficulties (MD). Mathematics skills have been correlated with resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between parietal brain regions, including the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the angular gyrus (AG), and a fronto-parietal network. However, the patterns of rsFC in children with MD remain less clear. This study conducted a seed-to-voxel analysis contrasting the rsFC profiles of 46 1st graders with MD (mean age = 6.95, sd = 0.34) and 60 1st graders with typical achievement (mean age = 7.08, sd = 0.38) in subdivisions of the intraparietal sulcus (hIP1, hIP2, and hIP3) and the angular gyrus (PGa, and PGp), bilaterally. Results suggested a pattern of hyperconnectivity between the right hIP2 and the left hippocampus and hypoconnectivity between the right PGa and the right ventral occipito-temporal cortex in children with MD. A multivariate classification analysis based on the rsFC maps extracted from the IPS and AG subdivisions indicated that a support-vector machine classifier distinguished between groups with accuracy above chance, particularly based on the rsFC of the left hIP1, the right hIP3, and the left PGp. These findings suggest atypical rsFC in the IPS and the AG in MD, with patterns of both hyper- and hypoconnectivity.
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spelling doaj-art-209536d8a0054a1e941ddf1c0fa2d5462025-08-20T04:01:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111410.1038/s41598-025-12809-7Children identified for classroom-based math support show altered resting-state connectivity in parietal brain regionsIsabella Starling-Alves0Lina Shanley1Madison A. Cook2Fred W. Sabb3Jolinda Smith4Ben Clarke5Eric D. Wilkey6Department of Psychology & Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityCenter on Teaching and Learning, University of OregonCenter on Teaching and Learning, University of OregonPrevention Science Institute, University of OregonRobert and Beverly Lewis Center for Neuroimaging, University of OregonCenter on Teaching and Learning, University of OregonDepartment of Psychology & Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityAbstract Approximately 25% of school-age children experience mathematics difficulties (MD). Mathematics skills have been correlated with resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between parietal brain regions, including the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the angular gyrus (AG), and a fronto-parietal network. However, the patterns of rsFC in children with MD remain less clear. This study conducted a seed-to-voxel analysis contrasting the rsFC profiles of 46 1st graders with MD (mean age = 6.95, sd = 0.34) and 60 1st graders with typical achievement (mean age = 7.08, sd = 0.38) in subdivisions of the intraparietal sulcus (hIP1, hIP2, and hIP3) and the angular gyrus (PGa, and PGp), bilaterally. Results suggested a pattern of hyperconnectivity between the right hIP2 and the left hippocampus and hypoconnectivity between the right PGa and the right ventral occipito-temporal cortex in children with MD. A multivariate classification analysis based on the rsFC maps extracted from the IPS and AG subdivisions indicated that a support-vector machine classifier distinguished between groups with accuracy above chance, particularly based on the rsFC of the left hIP1, the right hIP3, and the left PGp. These findings suggest atypical rsFC in the IPS and the AG in MD, with patterns of both hyper- and hypoconnectivity.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12809-7Learning disorderDyscalculiaResting-state functional connectivityIntraparietal sulcusAngular gyrus
spellingShingle Isabella Starling-Alves
Lina Shanley
Madison A. Cook
Fred W. Sabb
Jolinda Smith
Ben Clarke
Eric D. Wilkey
Children identified for classroom-based math support show altered resting-state connectivity in parietal brain regions
Scientific Reports
Learning disorder
Dyscalculia
Resting-state functional connectivity
Intraparietal sulcus
Angular gyrus
title Children identified for classroom-based math support show altered resting-state connectivity in parietal brain regions
title_full Children identified for classroom-based math support show altered resting-state connectivity in parietal brain regions
title_fullStr Children identified for classroom-based math support show altered resting-state connectivity in parietal brain regions
title_full_unstemmed Children identified for classroom-based math support show altered resting-state connectivity in parietal brain regions
title_short Children identified for classroom-based math support show altered resting-state connectivity in parietal brain regions
title_sort children identified for classroom based math support show altered resting state connectivity in parietal brain regions
topic Learning disorder
Dyscalculia
Resting-state functional connectivity
Intraparietal sulcus
Angular gyrus
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12809-7
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