Resting-state anticorrelations between medial and lateral prefrontal cortex: association with working memory, aging,...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Working memory (WM) capacity varies with age and individual differences.
• Intrinsic brain activity, specifically resting-state functional connectivity, is crucial for cognitive functions.
• Anticorrelations between the default-mode network (DMN) and fronto-parietal control network are implicated in cognitive processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between working memory (WM) capacity and resting-state functional brain anticorrelations.
• To examine how aging affects WM capacity and the anticorrelations between the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).
• To explore individual differences in WM capacity and their relationship with MPFC-DLPFC anticorrelations in young adults.

Main Methods:

• Comparing MPFC-DLPFC anticorrelations in healthy younger and older adults.
• Correlating MPFC-DLPFC anticorrelation magnitudes with behavioral WM capacity measures in young adults.
• Utilizing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess intrinsic brain activity.

Main Results:

• Older adults showed reduced WM capacity and diminished MPFC-DLPFC anticorrelations compared to younger adults.
• Within young adults, a stronger MPFC-DLPFC anticorrelation at rest was associated with higher WM capacity.
• These findings were consistent across two independent groups of young adults.

Conclusions:

• Variation in MPFC-DLPFC anticorrelations reflects intrinsic functional brain architecture supporting WM capacity.
• Aging is associated with both decreased WM capacity and altered intrinsic brain network interactions.
• Individual differences in WM capacity are intrinsically linked to the functional brain architecture supporting executive functions.