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.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | eaat3702 |
| Journal | Science Advances |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 19 2018 |
Funding
We thank M. Malik, C. Miller Rigoli, R. F. Schwarzlose, X. Chen, and A. T. Shafer for assistance and R. T. Knight and K. T. Jones for helpful discussions. Funding: This work was supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH107512 to N.O.) and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS64033 to E.A.), and the Benoziyo Endowment Fund for the Advancement of Science (to N.O.).
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General