Longitudinal associations between task-control network functioning, cognition, and the environment in early adolescence
Neural maturation in the "task-control" frontoparietal and dorsal attention networks is thought to support the development of adolescents' cognitive and adaptive functioning. Further, theory suggests that family and neighborhood contexts shape brain network development. Yet, few longitudinal studies have examined the co-development of brain network mechanisms with cognitive and adaptive…
The development of cognitive and adaptive functioning during early adolescence is supported by the maturation of the task-control frontoparietal and dorsal attention networks, according to current neural theory. However, limited longitudinal research has investigated the simultaneous development of brain network mechanisms alongside cognitive and adaptive functioning, as well as environmental factors that may influence this development.
To address this knowledge gap, the current study analyzed longitudinal data collected between late childhood (average age of 10 years) and early adolescence (average age of 12 years) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, involving a sample of 4,862 participants.
The researchers employed longitudinal bifactor modeling to estimate stable and construct-valid neural signatures of task-control network functioning through cognitive demand during the n-back task. Subsequently, multivariate latent change-score models were applied to explore the co-development of this neural signature in relation to cognitive efficiency (measured by the diffusion model's drift rate), teacher-reported attention problems, family conflict, and neighborhood safety. The analyses accounted for baseline family income.
The findings revealed robust reciprocal relationships between task-control activation and cognitive efficiency, as well as between cognitive efficiency and attention problems. Additionally, baseline family income was found to predict the rate of change in task-control network functioning. The study highlights the co-development of task-control network functioning with cognition, which subsequently supports the development of attentional functioning throughout early adolescence.
Moreover, the neural signature of task-control network functioning proves valuable for understanding the neural foundations of cognitive development and elucidating the mechanisms through which environmental experiences shape brain and behavior.
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