Members
ipsy | Louvain-la-Neuve
"Numerical Cognition in Adults" Lab
PESENTI Mauro
Principal Investigator
Senior Research Associate – FNRS (Belgium)
Research interests
My research projects aim at defining the functional components of calculation and number processing and at identifying their neuroanatomical correlates. My work combines functional imaging, neuropsychological studies of brain‑damaged patients, and chronometric approaches in healthy adults.
Selected publications
- Pesenti, M., Seron, X., & Van der Linden, M. (1994). Selective impairment as evidence for mental organisation of arithmetical facts. Cortex, 30, 661–671.
- Pesenti, M. et al. (2001). Mental calculation in a prodigy is sustained by right prefrontal areas. Nature Neuroscience, 4, 103–107.
- Andres, M., Di Luca, S., & Pesenti, M. (2008). Finger counting: The missing tool? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 31, 642–643.
- Masson, N., Letesson, C., & Pesenti, M. (2018). Time course of overt attentional shifts in mental arithmetic. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 71, 1009–1019.
- Masson, N. & Pesenti, M. (2023). Oculomotor preparation in mental arithmetic. Psychological Research, 87, 919–928.
Full list of publications: https://uclouvain.be/mauro.pesenti
For Master Students
Students interested in internships or Master theses in numerical cognition can consult current topics on this page and recent theses here.
ANDRES Michaël
MASSON Nicolas
Research Associate – FNRS
Research interests
My research aims at clarifying the functional relationships between arithmetical processes, attention, and visuo‑spatial mechanisms using behavioral, neuropsychological and TMS approaches.
Selected publications
- Masson, N., Pesenti, M., & Dormal, V. (2013). Numerical processing in neglect. Neuropsychologia, 51, 1925–1932.
- Masson, N. & Pesenti, M. (2016). Attention shifts in mental calculation. Psychological Research, 80, 640–651.
- Masson, N. et al. (2021). Shifting attention without oculomotor planning. Neuropsychologia, 161, 107998.
Post‑doctoral researchers & PhD students
Benjamin BRISE
Teaching assistant, PhD student
UCLouvain
Sylvain Gerin
Research Assistant – PhD student (FNRS)
Interests: tactile cognition and finger‑based numerical representations.
Laurie Geers
Post‑doctoral Researcher – FNRS
Behavioural and neuroimaging studies of perceptual and action judgements.
Valérie DORMAL
Post-doctoral Researcher
Research logistic Collaborator
Institute Of NeuroScience (IoNS)
Clinical Nutrition Research Centre Platform (CICN)
Stéphane GRADE
Post-doctoral Researcher and Lecturer
VR SPARX CEO
"Numerical Development" Lab
NOEL Marie-Pascale
Principal Investigator - FNRS Senior Research Associate
Virginie CROLLEN
Principal Investigator - Professor
Former Members of the Lab
- Xavier SERON (Prof. Emeritus) <xavier.seron@uclouvain.be>
- Sara Aleotti (Research visitor, Ph.D student)
Sara Aleotti - details
Research Visitor
- Julie CASTRONOVO (lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of Hull) <J.Castronovo@hull.ac.uk>,
- Aurélie CATTIN (Ph.D student)
- Sandrine CENSABELLA (Senior Research Assistant, Ph.D student)
- Angels COLOME (Prof. University of Barcelona, Ph.D.) <angels.colome@ub.edu>
- Alice DE VISSCHER (Post-doctoral researcher - FNRS)
more about Alice De Visscher Research Interests :
My research interests focus on the typical and atypical development of numerical cognition. In particular, I work on the heterogeneity of dyscalculia and contribute on establishing different profiles of dyscalculia, by investigating their math profiles and their causes. My method consists in beginning by using case studies. This method permits me to deeply investigate the global neuropsychological functioning of different participants that have dyscalculia. Based on these findings, I then formulate a theoretical hypothesis and test it in a group study in order to verify but also to affine this hypothesis. The aim is to establish a theoretically motivated relationship between a particular cause and a specific math disability profile. For instance, in a case study and a group study with fourth-grade children, we found that participants having difficulties in storing arithmetic facts showed hypersensitivity-to-interference (De Visscher & Noël, 2013, under revision). This new hypothesis is theoretically supported by the recent working memory models on interference-based forgetting and the network interfering theory of arithmetic facts of Campbell. Further investigations are planned in order to specify the brain structure involved and the nature of this atypical sensitivity to interference in memory.
Publications :
- De Visscher, A., Szmalec, A., Van Der Linden, L., & Noël, M.-P. (2015). Serial-order learning impairment and hypersensitivity-to-interference in dyscalculia. Cognition, 144, 38–48. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2015.07.007.
- De Visscher, A., Berens, S. C., Keidel, J. L., Noël, M.-P., & Bird, C. M. (2015). The interference effect in arithmetic fact solving: An fMRI study. NeuroImage, 116, 92–101. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.04.063.
- De Visscher, A., & Noël, M.-P. (2014). The detrimental effect of interference in multiplication facts storing: Typical development and individual differences. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(6), 2380–2400. doi:10.1037/xge0000029.
- De Visscher, A., & Noël, M.-P. (2014). Arithmetic facts storage deficit: the hypersensitivity-to-interference in memory hypothesis. Developmental Science, 17(3), 434–42. doi:10.1111/desc.12135.
- Noël, M.-P., Rousselle, L., & De Visscher, A. (2014, May 27). La dyscalculie développementale : à la croisée de facteurs numériques spécifiques et de facteurs cognitifs généraux. Développements. De Boeck Supérieur. doi:10.3917/devel.015.0024
- De Visscher, A., & Noël, M.P. (2013). A case study of arithmetic facts dyscalculia caused by a hypersensitivity-to-interference in memory, Cortex, 49(1), 50-70.doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2012.01.003.
- De Visscher, A., Szmalec, A., Van Der Linden, L., & Noël, M.-P. (2015). Serial-order learning impairment and hypersensitivity-to-interference in dyscalculia. Cognition, 144, 38–48. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2015.07.007.
Research Interests :
Focusing my research on chronometric behavioural studies I have tried to better define the role of «finger numeral representations» in the understanding and developing numeral concept, as well as to highlight how the use of a systematic fingers counting/montring activity could interact with, and maybe modify, the semantic representation of numbers.
More recently I have worked on the reorientation of visuo-spatial attention induced by numbers and how these peculiar properties could be considered as a fruitful tool in visual rehabilitation for those patients suffering of visuo-attentional impairments (i.e., neglect patients).
Some representative publications :
- Di Luca, S., Pesenti, M., Vallar, G., & Girelli, L. (2013). Numbers reorient visuo-spatial attention during cancellation tasks. Exp Brain Res., 225(4), 549-557. PubMed
- Di Luca, S., & Pesenti, M. (2011). Finger numeral representations: more than just another symbolic code. Front. Psychology 2:272. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00272
- Michaux, N., Pesenti, M., Badets, A., Di Luca, S., & Andres, M. (2010). Let us redeploy attention to sensorimotor experience. Behavioral And Brain Sciences, 33 (4), 283.
- Di Luca, S., Lefevre, N., & Pesenti, M. (2010). Place and summation coding for canonical and non-canonical finger numeral representations. Cognition, 117(1), 95-100. PubMed
- Di Luca, S., & Pesenti, M. (2010). Absence of Low-Level Visual Difference Between Canonical and Noncanonical Finger-Numeral Configurations. Experimental Psychology, 57(3), 202-207. PubMed
- Andres, M., Di Luca, S., & Pesenti, M. (2008). Finger counting: The missing tool? Behavioral And Brain Sciences, 31(6), 642.
- Di Luca, S., & Pesenti, M. (2008). Masked priming effect with canonical finger numeral configurations. Experimental Brain Research, 185(1), 27-39. PubMed
- Badets, A., Andres, M., Di Luca, S., et al. (2007). Number magnitude potentiates action judgements. Experimental Brain Research, 180(3), 525-534. PubMed
- Di Luca, S., Grana, A., Semenza, C., et al. (2006). Finger-digit compatibility in Arabic numeral processing. Quaterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 59(9), 1648-1663. PubMed
- Maria GRACIA (Research Assistant, Ph.D student)
- Nastasya HONORE (FNRS Research Assistant - FNRS)
Aliette LOCHY (Senior Research Assistant, Ph.D)
- Nicolas MICHAUX (Research Assistant, Ph.D student)
more about Nicolas Michaux
Research interests:
My research projects focus on identifying the anatomo-functional bases of mental arithmetic in adults. More particularly, our studies aim at defining the specific contribution of the verbal, the visuo-spatial and the motor systems to simple arithmetic by using three complementary methodologies:
- a behavioural approach, mostly by collecting chronometric data in double-task paradigms;
- a neuroimaging approach thanks to the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI);
- a lesional approach by inducing transient virtual lesions in healthy participants with the transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
Publications:
- Michaux, N., Pesenti, M., Badets, A., Di Luca, S., & Andres, M. (2010). Let us redeploy attention to sensorimotor experience. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 33(4), 283-284.
- Pelgrims, B., Michaux, N., Olivier, E., & Andres, M. (2011). Contribution of the primary motor cortex to motor imagery: A subthreshold TMS study. Human Brain Mapping, 32(9), 1471-1482.
- Andres, M., Pelgrims, B., Michaux, N., Olivier, E., & Pesenti, M. (2011). Role of distinct parietal areas in arithmetic: An fMRI-guided TMS study. NeuroImage, 54(4), 3048-3056.
- Andres, M., Michaux, N., & Pesenti, M. (2012). Common substrate for mental arithmetic and finger representation in the parietal cortex. NeuroImage, 62, 1520-1528.
- Michaux, N., Masson, N., Pesenti, M., & Andres, M. (2013). Selective interference of finger movements with basic arithmetic problem solving. Experimental Psychology, 60(3), 197-205.
- Angelique MAZARD (Senior Researcher, Ph.D.) <angelique.mazard@laposte.net>
- Gaelle MEERT (Senior Research Assistant, Ph.D.) <gaelle.meert@uclouvain.be>
- Sandrine MEJIAS (Senior Research Assistant, Ph.D.) <sandrine.mejias@uclouvain.be>
- Christophe MUSSOLIN (Senior Research Assistant, Ph.D) <christophe.mussolin@skynet.be>
- Florence NICOL (Senior Researcher in Statistics, Ph.D) <nicol@recherche.enac.fr>
- Bert REYNVOET (Prof. University of Leuven, Ph.D.) <bert.reynvoet@kuleuven-kortrijk.be>
- Laurence ROUSSELLE (Prof. University of Liège) <laurence.rousselle@ulg.ac.be >
- Samuel SALVAGGIO (Post-doctoral researcher)
more about Samuel Salvaggio
- Gundula SEIDEL (Senior Research Assistant, Ph.D)
- Marc THIOUX (Senior Research Assistant, Ph.D) <m.a.thioux@med.umcg.nl>
- Eva TURCONI (Clinical neuropsychologist, Ph.D)