• Authors: Kaichi Yanaoka, Yusuke Moriguchi, Satoru Saito
  • Title: Cognitive and neural underpinnings of goal maintenance in young children
  • Journal(書誌情報）: Cognition
  • doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104378
  • 論文URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010027720301979?via%3Dihub
  • Abstract: Active maintenance of goal representations is an integral part of our mental regulatory processes. Previous developmental studies have highlighted goal neglect, which is the phenomenon caused by a failure to maintain goal representations, and demonstrated developmental changes of the ability to maintain goal representations among preschoolers. Yet, few studies have explored the cognitive mechanisms underlying preschoolers’ development of goal maintenance. The first aim of this study was to test whether working memory capacity and inhibitory control contribute to goal maintenance using a paradigm for measuring goal neglect. Moreover, although recent studies have shown that preschoolers recruit lateral prefrontal regions in performing executive functions tasks, they could not specify the neural underpinnings of goal maintenance. Thus, the second aim was to examine whether lateral prefrontal regions played a key role in maintaining goal representations using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Our results showed that developmental differences in inhibitory control predicted the degree of goal neglect. It was also demonstrated that activation in the right prefrontal region was associated with children’s successful avoidance of goal neglect. These findings offer important insights into the cognitive and neural underpinnings of goal maintenance in preschoolers.
  • 著者Contact先のEmail: yanaoka.kaichi.22a@kyoto-u.jp
  • 日本語によるコメント: 幼児を対象に、実行機能の中核である課題目標保持に関わる認知・神経基盤を検討しました。認知基盤については、目標無視 (goal neglect) を測定するよう幼児向けに開発された課題と抑制機能およびワーキングメモリとの関連を検討しました。神経基盤については、目標無視を測定する同課題を改良し、課題目標保持に関わる脳活動を近赤外線分光法(NIRS)を用いて検討しました。結果、幼児期の課題目標保持には認知基盤として抑制機能、神経基盤として右の前頭前野が密接に関連することが示されました。以上の結果をもとに、幼児期の課題目標保持の背後にある認知・神経メカニズムについて論じました。6月22日から50日間はオープンアクセスですので、ご関心がある方は目を通していただければ幸いです。
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