Brain Basis of Developmental Change in Visuospatial Working Memory

Abstract

Although brain changes associated with the acquisition of cognitive abilities in early childhood involve increasing localized specialization, little is known about the brain changes associated with the refinement of existing cognitive abilities that reach maturity in adolescence. The goal of this study was to investigate developmental changes in functional brain circuitry that support improvements in visuospatial working memory from childhood to adulthood. We tested thirty 8- to 47-year-olds in an oculomotor delayed response task. Developmental transitions in brain circuitry included both quantitative changes in the recruitment of necessary working memory regions and qualitative changes in the specific regions recruited into the functional working memory circuitry. Children recruited limited activation from core working memory regions (dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex [DLPFC] and parietal regions) and relied primarily on ventromedial regions (caudate nucleus and anterior insula). With adolescence emerged a more diffuse network (DLPFC, anterior cingulate, posterior parietal, anterior insula) that included the functional integration of premotor response preparation and execution circuitry. Finally, adults recruited the most specialized network of localized regions together with additional performance-enhancing regions, including left-lateralized DLPFC, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, and supramarginal gyrus. These results suggest that the maturation of adult-level cognition involves a combination of increasing localization within necessary regions and their integration with performance-enhancing regions.

Prefrontal-Parietal Correlation during Performance of a Visuospatial Working Memory Task in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults

“…However, similar to our results, other neuroimaging studies have found higher activity in the DLPFC and parietal areas in adolescents compared to children and young adults on VSWM tasks [53] and various executive function tasks [54]. Considering this, it is possible that the difference in functional coupling between G2 and G1 could indicate that adolescents have a more general and non-specific neural activity [55] that requires the integration of more association areas, such as the parietal regions.…”

Dysfunctional neural network of spatial working memory contributes to developmental dyscalculia

“…Children performing visuospatial working memory tasks show the same, but decreased activation pattern compared to adults, especially the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is less recruited (Klingberg, Forssberg, & Westerberg, 2002;Kwon, Reiss, & Menon, 2002;Nelson et al, 2000;Scherf, Sweeney, & Luna, 2006).…”

Differences in brain morphology and working memory capacity across childhood

“…Functional neuroimaging studies indicate that this developmental progression may also apply to working memory. Children show higher blood oxygenation in additional regions beyond the core working memory areas found in adults (Ciesielski et al., 2006; Crone, Wendelken, Donohue, van Leijenhorst, & Bunge, 2006; Scherf, Sweeney, & Luna, 2006; Vogan et al., 2016). However, differences in the contribution of brain structure with development have not been investigated so far.…”