Brain Basis of the Development of Human Working Memory

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的目标是检查7-12岁儿童工作记忆（WM）发展的神经相关性。我们将使用功能磁共振成像来识别参与VVM中语言和空间信息维护的大脑区域，并参数化地操纵信息量（负载）。然后，我们将比较在儿童和年轻人（18-30岁）中发现的激活，并使用负荷操纵来解决与年龄相关的性能差异问题。我们最初的假设是，儿童将有较少的偏侧激活，以维持言语和空间信息在WM比成人。此外，我们将研究与年龄相关的差异的fMRI信号（BOLD信号）的血流动力学基础的关系，并使用该信息来个性化定制血管反应措施。最后，功能发育将被认为与通过扩散张量成像（DTI）测量的白色物质微结构的完整性有关。我们将研究儿童WM能力的区域特异性DTI相关性。功能磁共振成像、弥散张量成像和BOLD测量应该能够提供信息，说明儿童和成人在工作记忆信息的维持方面有何不同。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this proposal is to examine the neural correlates of the development of working memory (WM) in children ages 7-12. We will use fMRI to identify brain regions involved in the maintenance of verbal and spatial information in VVM, and parametrically manipulate the amount (load) of information. We will then compare activations found in the children and in young adults (ages 18-30), and use the load manipulation to address issues of age-associated differences in performance. Our initial hypothesis is that children will have less lateralized activations for maintenance of both verbal and spatial information in WM than will adults. Further, we will examine the relation of age-related differences in the hemodynamic basis of the fMRI signal (BOLD signal), and use that information to individually tailor vascular response measures. Finally, functional development will be considered in relation to the integrity of white matter microstructure measured by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We will examine regionally specific DTI correlates of WM capacities in children. The fMRI, DTI, and BOLD measures ought to be informative about how the maintenance of information in WM differs between children and adults.