title: Dyscalculia and vestibular function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A few studies in humans suggest that changes in stimulation of the balance organs of the inner ear (the 'vestibular system') can disrupt numerical cognition, resulting in 'dyscalculia', the inability to manipulate numbers. Many studies have also demonstrated that patients with vestibular dysfunction exhibit deficits in spatial memory.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  It is suggested that there may be a connection between spatial memory deficits resulting from vestibular dysfunction and the occurrence of dyscalculia, given the evidence that numerosity is coupled to the processing of spatial information (e.g., the 'spatial numerical association of response codes ('SNARC') effect').
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evidence supporting this hypothesis is summarised and potential experiments to test it are proposed.
authors: Dept. Pharmacology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. paul.smith@otago.ac.nz
authors: P F
authors: PF
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D060705:Dyscalculia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008954:Models, Biological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000503:physiopathology*