All articles tagged with #dyscalculia
U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. has been diagnosed with dyscalculia, a condition affecting his ability to understand numbers, which explains his difficulty in counting music bars during performances. Despite this challenge, Mullen is back in the studio with U2, working on new material and recovering from recent surgery for drumming-related injuries. The band plans to tour in 2026 with a potentially new sound.
U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. has revealed his recent diagnosis with dyscalculia, a learning disability affecting numerical comprehension, which he likens to the challenge of climbing Everest when counting bars of music. Despite struggling with this condition throughout his career, Mullen was only recently diagnosed. He discussed his experience in an interview about a documentary on dyslexia, a condition his son also has. Mullen joins other musicians like Cher and Florence Welch in speaking openly about dyscalculia.
A new study reveals that the human brain processes small numbers (up to four) and larger numbers (five and above) using different neural mechanisms. The ability to instantly recognize quantities of four or fewer—known as "subitizing"—is precise and quick, while identifying larger groups requires estimation, leading to slower and less accurate responses. This distinction could help explain certain numerical processing disorders like dyscalculia and provides insight into the cognitive processes behind number recognition. The research involved patients with epilepsy and was published in Nature Human Behavior.