Development of brain state dynamics involved in working memory

Abstract

Human functional brain networks are dynamically organized to enable cognitive and behavioral flexibility to meet ever-changing environmental demands. Frontal-parietal network (FPN) and default mode network (DMN) are recognized to play an essential role in executive functions such as working memory. However, little is known about the developmental differences in the brain-state dynamics of these two networks involved in working memory from childhood to adulthood. Here, we implemented Bayesian switching dynamical systems approach to identify brain states of the FPN and DMN during working memory in 69 school-age children and 51 adults. We identified five brain states with rapid transitions, which are characterized by dynamic configurations among FPN and DMN nodes with active and inactive engagement in different task demands. Compared with adults, children exhibited less frequent brain states with the highest activity in FPN nodes dominant to high demand, and its occupancy rate increased with age. Children preferred to attain inactive brain states with low activity in both FPN and DMN nodes. Moreover, children exhibited lower transition probability from low-to-high demand states and such a transition was positively correlated with working memory performance. Notably, higher transition probability from low-to-high demand states was associated with a stronger structural connectivity across FPN and DMN, but with weaker structure–function coupling of these two networks. These findings extend our understanding of how FPN and DMN nodes are dynamically organized into a set of transient brain states to support moment-to-moment information updating during working memory and suggest immature organization of these functional brain networks in childhood, which is constrained by the structural connectivity.

Neuroimaging in Adolescents: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Risk for Substance Use Disorders

“…Another study found that adolescents at risk for working memory deficits had decreased connectivity between the left frontal operculum and the anterior cingulate gyrus compared to the control group [30]. A more recent dynamic functional connectivity study found that brain states with high activity in the frontal-parietal network (FPN) during working memory were short-lived and recurring [31]. This information supports previous research showing the significance of FPN organization for retaining task-related information, leading to greater cognitive effort as the working memory load progresses [32][33][34].…”

Neuroimaging in Adolescents: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Risk for Substance Use Disorders

“…Another study found that adolescents at risk for working memory deficits had decreased connectivity between the left frontal operculum and the anterior cingulate gyrus compared to the control group (Vannest et al, 2021). A more recent dynamic functional connectivity study found that brain states with high activity in the frontal-parietal network (FPN) during working memory were short-lived and recurring (He et al, 2023). This information supports previous research showing the significance of FPN organization for retaining task-related information, leading to greater cognitive effort as the working memory load progresses (Alvarez & Emory, 2006;Ma et al, 2012;Owen et al, 2005).…”

Brain preparedness: The cortisol awakening response proacts dynamic organization of large-scale brain networks across emotional and executive functions

“…For emotional processing, the core hubs of salience network could be substantially modulated by both cortisol and stimulus-induced neuromodulators including norepinephrine (McReynolds et al 2010, Menon et al 2010, Young et al 2017). Meanwhile, the interactions between cortisol and phasic dopaminergic signals that project to prefrontal cortex and several parietal, temporal regions could substantially modulate dynamic reconfigurations of executive control networks (Fornito et al 2012, Ray et al 2020, He et al 2023). Together, the interplay between wide-spread cortisol and neuromodulator pertains to CAR’s ability to flexibly reconfigure network reconfigurations.…”