Development of relational reasoning during adolescence

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Adolescent development involves non-linear changes in behavior and brain activity.
• These changes are often linked to structural brain alterations, particularly in grey matter volume.
• Few studies integrate behavioral, functional, and structural data to understand these developmental shifts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate developmental changes in behavior and brain activity during relational reasoning.
• To examine the simultaneous integration of multiple relations during adolescence.
• To explore the relationship between structural and functional brain changes and cognitive performance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a relational reasoning task engaging the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC).
• Collected behavioral data from 178 female participants (ages 7-27).
• Acquired functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) data from 37 female participants (ages 11-30).

Main Results:

• Observed non-linear changes in relational reasoning accuracy, with a performance decrease in mid-adolescence.
• fMRI and VBM data indicated complex linear and non-linear age-related changes in brain structure and function.
• Behavioral and structural changes partially explained age-related activity changes in RLPFC and medial superior frontal gyrus.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent relational reasoning exhibits non-linear developmental trajectories in both behavior and brain function.
• Structural maturation in regions like RLPFC correlates with cognitive performance changes.
• Decreased activation in anterior insula/frontal operculum may reflect maturing neurocognitive strategies rather than solely structural changes.