Akalkyli: The Inability To Understand Numbers

Imagine for a moment you did not understand simple numbers and calculations, such as 2 or 2 + 2. In 1925, the neurologist Salomon Henschen described this mathematical inability: acalkyli.

It is a state that still fascinates the scientific world today.

Did you know that a certain area of ​​your brain is responsible for mathematical calculations? It works a bit like an internal calculator. Thus, it is a disturbance that has a direct effect on the mathematical ability.

Brain damage is behind the disorder; it is not something you are born with.

Different types of acalky

The disorder is divided into two main categories. The differences between them depend on the brain areas and the abilities that the injury affects.

In general, patients with acalcemia have some form of damage to the left hemisphere, which is responsible for logical reasoning. The classification also reflects the extent to which the injury affects the patient’s abilities.

Primary calculation

Primary calculus means that the mathematical difficulties cannot be linked to other disorders. Patients with this disorder lack the ability to understand numbers or combinations of numbers.

The main problem is to use calculation methods. Furthermore, they suffer from problems with abstract issues, such as the use and interpretation of characters.

The brain damage that causes primary acalcemia is most often located in the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere. Researchers see this lobe as the brain’s orchestra leader.

Consequently, changes in the frontal lobe may mean that patients do not have the capacity to switch back and forth between different mathematical concepts. There are two obvious symptoms of primary acalcemia:

• Anarrhythmia : Inability to perform arithmetic operations.
• Asynactics : Lack of computational ability.

Secondary calculation

This is a change in mathematical abilities that is associated with other neuropsychological disorders. Thus, secondary acalcemia may be due to language difficulties, spatial problems or impaired executive function.

The different variants are divided into the following categories:

• Number phase. The math difficulties are due to language disorders. The inability to understand and codify numerical language stems from the inability to use the language.
• Sifferalexi. This is mainly linked to difficulties in reading and recognizing numerical symbols. The patient simply cannot understand what he is reading.
• Numeric graph. Agraphy is an inability to communicate and express oneself in writing. The reason is not an inability to perform the movement properly. Instead, the explanation is that the person concerned does not understand the act of writing itself on a symbolic level. Therefore, he can not write numbers.

• Frontal acalkyli. This is perhaps the most common form of acalky and is somewhat reminiscent of difficulty concentrating. Individuals with this type of acalcylia tend to repeat the same mistake over and over again. The reason is that they can not identify mistakes. In addition, they have difficulty finding solutions.
• Semantic calculation. People with this type of calculi have trouble dealing with concepts that describe relationships between different things. A good example is the inability to see a connection between mathematical problems and the steps one must take to solve them.
• Spatial acalkyli. This is a condition that occurs due to an injury to the right hemisphere. Difficulty performing arithmetic calculations is also associated with problems with spatial processing.

How to diagnose primary acalcemia

The most important thing is to investigate whether the symptoms have oral as well as written effects. Patients with acalcemia have no idea about numbers, but doctors sometimes confuse the symptoms with other aphasia disorders.

It is important to determine the cause of the problem. Is it because the individual lacks insight into different concepts or because he does not understand oral instructions?

Why do patients with injuries in the frontal lobe have problems with numbers?

First of all, one must know how to integrate different mathematical concepts in order to be able to solve numerical problems. In order to e.g. To solve an addition problem, one must understand the concept of addition.

In addition, most mathematical problems require the ability to think abstractly.

Lack of inhibition in disorders due to injuries in the frontal lobe complicates this process, as the patient has difficulty concentrating.

Finally, poor integration of image and / or sound stimuli affects the selective attention and stepwise integration that numerical operations require.

As previously mentioned, the frontal lobe is the brain’s orchestra leader. If it does not work, it is more difficult for your brain to process the information it needs to solve problems.

Akalkyli and other difficulties

People with aphasia may suffer from acalcemia in addition to their language difficulties. Patients with Broca’s aphasia have e.g. damages that appear in the syntax used in calculations.

People with cipherlexia instead have difficulty reading problems.

Another example is pure alexi, where problems with verbal and literal interpretation of written language manifest themselves in incorrect interpretation of numbers, sizes and hierarchies.

Other ways to detect the disturbance

In agraphy, acalkylin is sometimes associated with an inability to write quantities. Thus, the type of agraphy determines the type of acalky in question.

Patients with Wernicke’s aphasia make mistakes when copying numbers that are read out. Patients who struggle with such listening comprehension problems tend to invent numbers and distort their order.

Treatment methods

What one must understand above all about this disorder is that it is completely different from dyscalculia, even if the names are reminiscent of each other.

Dyscalculia is a developmental and learning problem that requires other treatment strategies.

Neuropsychologists can diagnose this condition by performing various tests on the patient. The tests include mental arithmetic, written mathematics and successive operations.

The patient’s ability to interpret mathematical symbols and to line up numbers in columns is also tested.

The treatment of primary acalcemia depends on the type and degree of damage. Lost nerve tissue cannot be replaced, so rehabilitation is usually focused on teaching the patient new strategies based on neuroplasticity.

Finally, treatment can provide patients with tools to help them adjust to their new situation, even if they never fully recover.

However, the treatment of secondary acalculia varies depending on the disorder to which it is linked.

The good news is that new technology offers information and applications that are valuable to patients with this complex condition.