Mathematical Cognition and its Neural Correlates During Development: A Scoping Review with Systematic Search
Abstract
Mathematics learning begins in schooling and plays a role in children's cognitive development, predicting academic achievement and professional success. Its development is influenced by linguistic, metacognitive, emotional, and cognitive factors. Cross-sectional neuroimaging studies have highlighted the involvement of the intraparietal sulcus and prefrontal cortex in mathematical tasks. However, longitudinal studies capituring the neural correlates of mathematical development in school-aged children remain scarce and heterogeneous. To provide an overview of current evidence on longitudinal studies of mathematical cognition with neural correlates, we conducted a review with a systematic search strategy. Nineteen studies were identified, revealing mathematics as a dynamic, multi-component system that evolves from a structural foundation into a functionally specialized network. Findings emphasize the central role of parietal and frontal regions, with contributions from temporal, occipital, and subcortical areas, while also underscoring the lack of naturalistic studies and diverse sociocultural samples.