Electrophysiological correlates of symbolic numerical order processing

by Clemens Brunner, Philip Schadenbauer, Nele Schröder, Roland H. Grabner, Stephan E. Vogel

Determining if a sequence of numbers is ordered or not is one of the fundamental aspects of numerical processing linked to concurrent and future arithmetic skills. While some studies have explored the neural underpinnings of order processing using functional magnetic resonance imaging, our understanding of electrophysiological correlates is comparatively limited. To address this gap, we used a three-item symbolic numerical order verification task (with Arabic numerals from 1 to 9) to study event-related potentials (ERPs) in 73 adult participants in an exploratory approach. We presented three-item sequences and manipulated their order (ordered vs. unordered) as well as their inter-item numerical distance (one vs. two). Participants had to determine if a presented sequence was ordered or not. They also completed a speeded arithmetic fluency test, which measured their arithmetic skills. Our results revealed a significant mean amplitude difference in the grand average ERP waveform between ordered and unordered sequences in a time window of 500–750 ms at left anterior-frontal, left parietal, and central electrodes. We also identified distance-related amplitude differences for both ordered and unordered sequences. While unordered sequences showed an effect in the time window of 500–750 ms at electrode clusters around anterior-frontal and right-frontal regions, ordered sequences differed in an earlier time window (190–275 ms) in frontal and right parieto-occipital regions. Only the mean amplitude difference between ordered and unordered sequences showed an association with arithmetic fluency at the left anterior-frontal electrode. While the earlier time window for ordered sequences is consistent with a more automated and efficient processing of ordered sequential items, distance-related differences in unordered sequences occur later in time.