Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Author Spotlight: Studying Drug Impacts on Brain Signals Using Dual LFP Recording Protocol in Mice
Published on: February 16, 2024
Direct brain recordings reveal prefrontal cortex dynamics of memory development
E L Johnson1,2, L Tang1,3, Q Yin1,3
1Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
Abstract:
Prevailing theories link prefrontal cortex (PFC) maturation to the development of declarative memory. However, the precise spatiotemporal correlates of memory formation in the developing brain are not known. We provide rare intracranial evidence that the spatiotemporal propagation of frontal activity supports memory formation in children. Seventeen subjects (6.2 to 19.4 years) studied visual scenes in preparation for a recognition memory test while undergoing direct cortical monitoring. Earlier PFC activity predicted greater accuracy, and subsecond deviations in activity flow between subregions predicted memory formation. Activity flow between inferior and precentral sites was refined during adolescence, partially explaining gains in memory. In contrast, middle frontal activity predicted memory independent of age. These findings show with subsecond temporal precision that the developing PFC links scene perception and memory formation and underscore the role of the PFC in supporting memory development.
Related Concept Videos
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
System of Memory
Working Memory
Long-Term Memory
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
Traumatic Memory

