Mathematical disabilities: Reflections on cognitive, neuropsychological, and genetic components

The collection of articles in this special issue and related studies over the past decade provides a fine example of the substantial progress that has been made in our understanding and remediation of mathematical learning disabilities and difficulties since 1993 (Geary, 1993). The originally proposed procedural and retrieval deficits have been supported and a number sense deficit has been identified. There is evidence for visuospatial contributions to some aspects of mathematical learning, but identification of a core visuospatial deficit underlying some forms of mathematical learning disabilities and difficulties has been elusive. The contributions of working memory to the development and expression of these deficits is more nuanced than I originally proposed as are the brain systems supporting mathematical learning. Although much has been learned about children's difficulties in learning mathematics, but there is just as much and likely more than remains to be discovered.