Simple and difficult mathematics in children: A minimum spanning tree EEG network analysis

Sensor-level network characteristics associated with arithmetic tasks varying in complexity were estimated using tools from modern network theory. EEG signals from children with math difficulties (MD) and typically achieving controls (NI) were analyzed using minimum spanning tree (MST) indices derived from Phase Lag Index values - a graph method that corrects for comparison bias. Results demonstrated progressive modulation of certain MST parameters with increased task difficulty. These findings were consistent with more distributed network activation in the theta band, and greater network integration (i.e., tighter communication between involved regions) in the alpha band as task demands increased. There was also evidence of stronger intraregional signal inter-dependencies in the higher frequency bands during the complex math task. Although these findings did not differ between groups, several MST parameters were positively correlated with individual performance on psychometric math tasks involving similar operations, especially in the NI group. The findings support the potential utility of MST analyses to evaluate function-related electrocortical reactivity over a wide range of EEG frequencies in children.