HealthyNCT03059758
Deductive Reasoning and Math Learning Difficulty
A study testing fMRI in people with Healthy, run by Hospices Civils de Lyon at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
Most studies to date that have examined the factors underlying math achievement in children have focused on basic numerical knowledge. Yet, math skills are clearly not limited to basic numerical knowledge and recent behavioral studies suggest a relationship between math and deductive reasoning skills. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 8 to 14 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy
- What is being tested?
- fMRI
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 137 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 15 Apr 2015to 5 Dec 2018
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 8 to 14 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Girl or boy between 8 and 14
- Right-handed
- Affiliated to the French social security
- Whose parents gave informed consent
Who cannot join
- Neurological disorders
- Psychiatric disorders
- Birth complications requiring admission into neonatal intensive care unit
- Medication affecting central nervous system processing
- Significant hearing impairment
- Uncorrected visual impairment
- Non-native French speaker
- Contraindications for MRI
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Deductive Reasoning and Math Learning Difficulty: an fMRI Study in Children
Most studies to date that have examined the factors underlying math achievement in children have focused on basic numerical knowledge. Yet, math skills are clearly not limited to basic numerical knowledge and recent behavioral studies suggest a relationship between math and deductive reasoning skills. The goal of this study is to determine the neural mediators of this relationship using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The investigators will ask children from 8 to 14 to complete a standardized math achievement test, and measure their brain activity while they process deductive arguments. The investigators will then correlate brain activity during reasoning to individual math skills to identify the brain regions in which activity during reasoning is modulated by math skill.
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Being tested
- fMRI
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
fMRIOther
Also called fMRI scanning
All participants are scanned while evaluating deductive reasoning problems. Their math skill is also assessed.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Brain activity during reasoning and measure of math skill | Experimental | Brain activity during reasoning and measure of math skill Receives: Other: fMRI |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Correlation between brain activity during deductive reasoning and math skill 18 to 24 months later
Brain activity measured using fMRI and math skill measured using a standardized test 18 to 24 months after scanning
Measured: 18 to 24 months after scanning
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Feb 2017
- Study start15 Apr 2015
- Primary completion19 Nov 2018
- Study completion5 Dec 2018
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for HealthyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Hospices Civils de LyonThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 137 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hospices Civils de Lyon
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03059758
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 69HCL16_0686
- Status last verified
- Sep 2025
- First submitted
- 16 Feb 2017
- Last updated
- 10 Sep 2025
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
Schwartz F, Epinat-Duclos J, Leone J, Poisson A, Prado J. Neural representations of transitive relations predict current and future math calculation skills in children. Neuropsychologia. 2020 Apr;141:107410. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107410. Epub 2020 Feb 22.
PubMed 32097661
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Sep 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Deductive Reasoning and Math Learning Difficulty: an fMRI Study in Children
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03059758
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 69HCL16_0686
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 137 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hospices Civils de LyonUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Apr 2015 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 19 Nov 2018 (actual)
- Study completion
- 5 Dec 2018 (actual)
- First posted
- 23 Feb 2017 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Most studies to date that have examined the factors underlying math achievement in children have focused on basic numerical knowledge. Yet, math skills are clearly not limited to basic numerical knowledge and recent behavioral studies suggest a relationship between math and deductive reasoning skills. The goal of this study is to determine the neural mediators of this relationship using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The investigators will ask children from 8 to 14 to complete a standardized math achievement test, and measure their brain activity while they process deductive arguments. The investigators will then correlate brain activity during reasoning to individual math skills to identify the brain regions in which activity during reasoning is modulated by math skill.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Brain activity during reasoning and measure of math skill | Experimental | Other: fMRIBrain activity during reasoning and measure of math skill |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 8 to 14 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Girl or boy between 8 and 14
- Right-handed
- Affiliated to the French social security
- Whose parents gave informed consent
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Neurological disorders
- Psychiatric disorders
- Birth complications requiring admission into neonatal intensive care unit
- Medication affecting central nervous system processing
- Significant hearing impairment
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| fMRIAlso: fMRI scanningAll participants are scanned while evaluating deductive reasoning problems. Their math skill is also assessed. | Other | Brain activity during reasoning and measure of math skill |
Primary outcome
Correlation between brain activity during deductive reasoning and math skill 18 to 24 months later
Time frame: 18 to 24 months after scanning
Brain activity measured using fMRI and math skill measured using a standardized test 18 to 24 months after scanning
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Sep 2025.
- Results publication: PubMed 32097661Schwartz F, Epinat-Duclos J, Leone J, Poisson A, Prado J. Neural representations of transitive relations predict current and future math calculation skills in children. Neuropsychologia. 2020 Apr;141:107410. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107410. Epub 2020 Feb 22.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing fMRI in people with Healthy, run by Hospices Civils de Lyon at 1 site in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Sep 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Correlation between brain activity during deductive reasoning and math skill 18 to 24 months later (time frame: 18 to 24 months after scanning). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03059758, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Sep 2025.