Neural Consolidation and Reinstatement of Recent and Remote Memories in Children Compared to Young Adults

Alapfogalmak

Children show less robust memory consolidation and differential neural upregulation for remote versus recent memories compared to young adults. Both children and adults exhibit decreased scene-specific neural reinstatement over time, but children rely more on gist-like neural reinstatement in anterior hippocampal and medial prefrontal regions.

Kivonat

This study examined system-level memory consolidation of object-scene associations in 5-to-7-year-old children and young adults. The researchers characterized changes in functional neural activation and reinstatement of neural patterns over time, assessed by fMRI and representational similarity analysis.

Key findings:

1. Memory consolidation was less robust in children compared to young adults, with more forgetting over time.
2. Contrasting remote versus recent memories, children showed less upregulation in posterior parahippocampal gyrus, lateral occipital cortex, and cerebellum than adults.
3. Both children and adults exhibited decreased scene-specific neural reinstatement over time, indicating time-related decay of detailed differentiated memories.
4. Children relied more on gist-like neural reinstatement in anterior hippocampal and medial prefrontal regions, suggesting qualitative differences in memory traces compared to adults.
5. Multivariate brain profiles of neural upregulation and scene-specific reinstatement were associated with variations in short-term and long-term memory performance similarly in both age groups.

In summary, 5-to-7-year-old children show less robust memory consolidation compared to young adults, potentially due to difficulties in engaging in differentiated neural reinstatement in neocortical regions during remote memory retrieval, coupled with greater reliance on gist-like neural reinstatement.

Statisztikák

"Children needed on average between two to four learning-cycles to reach the criterion of 83% correct responses, while young adults needed on average two cycles."
"Final learning accuracy was significantly higher in young adults compared to children across all sessions."
"Memory accuracy for recently consolidated items did not differ between sessions in young adults and children and was collapsed across recent memory accuracy on Day 1 and Day 14. Memory accuracy for remotely consolidated items differed between sessions in both young adults and children, showing higher remote memory accuracy on Day 1 than on Day 14."

Idézetek

"Memory consolidation tends to be less robust in childhood than adulthood. However, little is known about the corresponding functional differences in the developing brain that may underlie age-related differences in retention of memories over time."
"Taken together, 5-to-7-year-old children, compared to young adults, show less robust memory consolidation, possibly due to difficulties in engaging in differentiated neural reinstatement in neocortical mnemonic regions during retrieval of remote memories, coupled with relying more on gist-like generic neural reinstatement."

Főbb Kivonatok

Neural Correlates and Reinstatement of Recent and Remote Memory: A Comparison Between Children and Young Adults

by Schommartz,I... : www.biorxiv.org 05-11-2023

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.11.540422v2

Mélyebb kérdések

How do the observed differences in memory consolidation and neural reinstatement between children and adults relate to the development of other cognitive abilities, such as executive function and semantic knowledge?

The observed differences in memory consolidation and neural reinstatement between children and adults are closely related to the development of other cognitive abilities, such as executive function and semantic knowledge. Memory consolidation is a complex process that involves the reorganization of memory representations across different brain regions. In adults, the maturation of executive function, which includes abilities such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control, plays a crucial role in the efficient consolidation of memories. Executive function allows adults to strategically organize and process information, leading to more robust memory consolidation.
On the other hand, children, especially those in the 5-to-7-year-old age range studied, are still developing their executive function skills. Their cognitive abilities, including working memory and cognitive control, are not as advanced as those of adults. This developmental difference in executive function can impact the efficiency of memory consolidation in children. The less mature executive function in children may result in difficulties in engaging in differentiated neural reinstatement in neocortical mnemonic regions during memory retrieval, as observed in the study.
Furthermore, semantic knowledge, which refers to the understanding of concepts and relationships between words and ideas, also plays a role in memory consolidation. Adults have a more extensive semantic knowledge base compared to children, allowing them to make more meaningful connections between new information and existing knowledge. This rich semantic network aids in the encoding and retrieval of memories, contributing to more robust memory consolidation in adults.
In summary, the differences in memory consolidation and neural reinstatement between children and adults are intertwined with the development of executive function and semantic knowledge. The maturation of these cognitive abilities in adults enhances memory consolidation processes, while the ongoing development of these abilities in children may pose challenges to efficient memory retention and retrieval.

How do the potential environmental and experiential factors that may contribute to the differences in memory consolidation processes between children and adults?

Several environmental and experiential factors can contribute to the differences in memory consolidation processes between children and adults.

Learning Environment: The learning environment plays a crucial role in memory consolidation. Adults often have more structured and intentional learning experiences, which can enhance memory encoding and retrieval processes. In contrast, children may have less control over their learning environment and may be exposed to distractions that can interfere with memory consolidation.

Educational Practices: The type of educational practices and strategies used in teaching can impact memory consolidation. Adults may have developed effective learning strategies over time, such as mnemonic devices or rehearsal techniques, that aid in memory retention. Children, on the other hand, may still be learning how to employ these strategies effectively, leading to differences in memory consolidation.

Social Interactions: Social interactions and peer learning can also influence memory consolidation. Adults often engage in more complex social interactions that stimulate cognitive processes and memory formation. Children may benefit from peer interactions but may also be more susceptible to social distractions that can impact memory consolidation.

Experiential Learning: Adults have a wealth of life experiences that contribute to their semantic knowledge and memory organization. These experiences provide a rich context for encoding new memories and making connections with existing knowledge. Children, with fewer life experiences, may have a more limited semantic network, affecting the depth and quality of memory consolidation.

Sleep Patterns: Sleep plays a critical role in memory consolidation, especially in the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term storage. Adults typically have more consistent and structured sleep patterns, which can support optimal memory consolidation. Children may have varying sleep patterns and may not get the recommended amount of sleep, which can impact memory retention.

Overall, environmental factors such as learning environment, educational practices, social interactions, experiential learning, and sleep patterns can significantly influence memory consolidation processes in children and adults.

Could the reliance on gist-like neural reinstatement in children be adaptive for certain types of learning and memory tasks, or does it reflect a limitation in their cognitive development?

The reliance on gist-like neural reinstatement in children may serve as an adaptive strategy for certain types of learning and memory tasks, but it also reflects a limitation in their cognitive development.
Adaptive Aspects:

Efficient Processing: Gist-like neural reinstatement allows children to process information quickly and make generalizations based on common features or themes. This can be beneficial in tasks that require rapid decision-making or pattern recognition.

Reduced Cognitive Load: By focusing on the general essence or gist of information, children may be able to reduce cognitive load and simplify complex concepts, making it easier to retain and retrieve information.

Flexibility in Learning: Gist-like representations provide children with flexibility in learning, allowing them to apply general principles across different contexts and tasks.

Limitations:

Lack of Detail: Gist-like representations may lack the specific details and nuances that are crucial for accurate memory recall and comprehension. This limitation can hinder children's ability to retain and retrieve detailed information.

Limited Discrimination: Relying solely on gist-like neural reinstatement may limit children's ability to discriminate between similar concepts or stimuli, leading to confusion and errors in memory retrieval.

Developmental Constraints: The preference for gist-like representations in children may reflect the immaturity of their cognitive processes, such as attention, working memory, and executive function. This developmental limitation can impact the depth and accuracy of memory consolidation.

In conclusion, while gist-like neural reinstatement in children may offer some adaptive advantages in certain learning and memory tasks, it also highlights a cognitive limitation in their development. Balancing the use of gist-like representations with the ability to encode and retrieve detailed information is essential for optimal memory consolidation and cognitive growth in children.