Brain Basis of the Development of Human Working Memory

描述(由申请人提供)：本提案的目标是研究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在VVM中参与维持语言和空间信息的大脑区域，并对信息量(负载)进行参数操作。然后，我们将比较在儿童和年轻人(18-30岁)中发现的激活，并使用负载操作来解决与年龄相关的表现差异的问题。我们最初的假设是，与成人相比，儿童在维持WM中的语言和空间信息方面的侧向激活会更少。此外，我们将研究与年龄相关的差异与fMRI信号(BOLD信号)血流动力学基础的关系，并使用该信息来单独定制血管反应测量。最后，将结合扩散张量成像(DTI)测量的脑白质微结构的完整性来考虑功能发育。我们将研究地区特定的DTI与儿童的WM能力的相关性。FMRI、DTI和BOLD措施应该提供信息，说明儿童和成人在维护工作记忆中的信息有何不同。

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.