SUN Ji-ning1, WANG Bin1, LI Li-xin1, ZHANG Bao-long2, LONG Jin-feng1
1. Medical Imaging Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College, Weifang Shandong 261031, China；2. Department of Radiology, Weifang Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Weifang Shandong 261031, China
Abstract：Objective: To investigate the brain functional status and the activating mode in the trained children engaged in mental calculation with functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI). Methods: Twelve children trained with mental abacus calculation for 3 years performed mental calculation tasks including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and number-object control judging tasks. Using a block-design, 3 resting blocks and 3 stimulating blocks alternatively. Blood oxygenation level dependence(BOLD) fMRI scan was performed in a Siemens Trio 3.0T MRI scanner with an echo planar imaging(EPI) sequence. All data were analyzed by SPM2(statistical parametric mapping 2) to generate the brain activation map. Results: Bilateral occipital lobes(bilateral cuneus), the right parietal lobe(the right inferior parietal lobule, the right superior parietal lobule, the right precuneus, the right postcentral gyrus), and bilateral cerebellums were activated in the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division calculation. The right lingual gyrus was activated in addition and division calculation. The left lingual gyrus was activated in subtraction and multiplication. In addition, the left precuneus and the right fusiform were activated in multiplication calculation. Conclusion: The trained children activated mainly the occipital lobe and the parietal lobe, which manifested their calculation method may depend mostly on visuo-spatial strategy.
2007, Vol. 18 
