Functional brain imaging study of mathematical reasoning abilities in velocardiofacial syndrome (del22q11.2)

Abstract

Purpose: Children with velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS) often have deficits in mathematical reasoning. Previous research has suggested that structural abnormalities in the parietal lobe region might underlie these deficits. The present study utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the relationship between brain function and mathematical performance in VCFS. Methods: Eight children with VCFS and eight comparison subjects underwent fMRI scanning and completed an arithmetic computation task. Results: In the VCFS group, increased activation was observed in the left supramarginal gyrus (LSMG) as the task difficulty increased. Conclusion: Aberrant LSMG activation, possibly due to structural deficits of the left parietal lobe, may explain decrements in arithmetic performance observed in VCFS.