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Neural basis of protracted developmental changes in visuo-spatial working memory
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, and Stanford Brain Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Summary
Visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM) improves into young adulthood, supported by developing fronto-parietal brain networks. This study reveals concurrent maturation of spatial attention and verbal memory systems in the brain.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM) performance shows significant improvement from childhood through adolescence into young adulthood.
- The underlying neural mechanisms driving this protracted cognitive development remain largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural basis of VSWM development using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
- To examine age-related changes in brain activation during a VSWM task in children, adolescents, and young adults.
- To identify the relationship between brain activation, task performance, and age.
Main Methods:
- Functional MRI (fMRI) was employed to study individuals aged 7-22 years performing a 2-back VSWM task.
- The task involved dynamic storage and manipulation of spatial information.
- Multiple regression analysis assessed the predictive power of age, accuracy, and response latency on brain activation.
Main Results:
- VSWM task performance, including accuracy and response latency, improved gradually across the age range studied.
- Significant age-related increases in brain activation were observed in key regions, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (including Broca's area), premotor cortex, and posterior parietal cortex.
- Age was identified as the most significant predictor of activation in these fronto-parietal regions.
Conclusions:
- The findings provide robust evidence for the protracted functional maturation of bilateral fronto-parietal neural networks supporting VSWM development.
- Two distinct neural systems, a right-hemisphere visuo-spatial attentional system and a left-hemisphere phonological system, appear to mature concurrently.
- This suggests that visually and verbally mediated mnemonic processes and their neural substrates develop in parallel throughout childhood, adolescence, and into young adulthood.