TY  - JOUR
A1  - Tschentscher, Nadja
A1  - Hauk, Olaf
A1  - Fischer, Martin H.
A1  - Pulvermüller, Friedemann
T1  - You can count on the motor cortex finger counting habits modulate motor cortex activation evoked by numbers
JF  - NeuroImage : a journal of brain function
N2  - The embodied cognition framework suggests that neural systems for perception and action are engaged during higher cognitive processes. In an event-related fMRI study, we tested this claim for the abstract domain of numerical symbol processing: is the human cortical motor system part of the representation of numbers, and is organization of numerical knowledge influenced by individual finger counting habits? Developmental studies suggest a link between numerals and finger counting habits due to the acquisition of numerical skills through finger counting in childhood. In the present study, digits 1 to 9 and the corresponding number words were presented visually to adults with different finger counting habits, i.e. left- and right-starters who reported that they usually start counting small numbers with their left and right hand, respectively. Despite the absence of overt hand movements, the hemisphere contralateral to the hand used for counting small numbers was activated when small numbers were presented. The correspondence between finger counting habits and hemispheric motor activation is consistent with an intrinsic functional link between finger counting and number processing.
KW  - Embodied cognition
KW  - Numerical cognaion
KW  - Finger counting habits
KW  - SNARC effect
Y1  - 2012
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.11.037
SN  - 1053-8119
VL  - 59
IS  - 4
SP  - 3139
EP  - 3148
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - San Diego
ER  -