Spatiotemporal dynamics of recognition
memory in children: An integrated event-related potentials and functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Xuan Dong1,Suhong Wang1，Yanling Ren1, Yilin Yang2, Wei Xing3, Jie Chen3, Dongbai Liu1, Ling Ma1
1Department of Neuroscience, the Third Affiliated
Hospital of Soochow University,
2Department of Neurosurgery, the Third Affiliated
Hospital of Soochow University,
3Department of Neurosurgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital
of Soochow University,
Abstract
Recognition memory is the function
responsible for determining whether a stimulus event has been experienced previously. Dual-process models suggest that
two processes contribute to recognition: recollection
and familiarity. The purpose of this study was to investigate recognition memory in children using event-related potentials and functional magnetic resonance imaging
tools. We measured brain activity with
event-related potentials (ERPs) and functional
magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in groups of
children and adults during a recognition memory
task. The latencies of all major components in children were longer than those in adults. In particular, we observed that the
frontally distributed N2 component (FN400 old/new effect) occurred later in children than in adults, and the amplitude of N2
elicited by new pictures was larger than
that of old pictures. The parietal P3 component (parietal old/new effect) in
children occurred later and its amplitude
for new pictures was smaller than that for old
pictures. The fMRI results indicated recognition memory mainly activated the middle temporal gyrus in children. For adults, however, the cerebellum and pre-frontal and parietal cortices were activated. These
results support the dual process theory and the maturation of recognition memory perspectives presented in studies. Both
the ERP and fMRI findings suggested that the basic networks for processing memory
develop in childhood and adolescence.
Acknowledgements: This study was
supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (NSFC Grant
30470566) and Soochow University Medicine Foundation
(SUMF Grant EE124601).