TY - JOUR
T1 - The relationship between uncinate fasciculus white matter integrity and verbal memory proficiency in children
AU - Schaeffer, David J.
AU - Krafft, Cynthia E.
AU - Schwarz, Nicolette F.
AU - Chi, Lingxi
AU - Rodrigue, Amanda L.
AU - Pierce, Jordan E.
AU - Allison, Jerry David
AU - Yanasak, Nathan Eugene
AU - Liu, Tianming
AU - Davis, Catherine Lucy
AU - McDowell, Jennifer E.
PY - 2014/8/20
Y1 - 2014/8/20
N2 - During childhood, verbal learning and memory are important for academic performance. Recent functional MRI studies have reported on the functional correlates of verbal memory proficiency, but few have reported the underlying structural correlates. The present study sought to test the relationship between fronto-temporal white matter integrity and verbal memory proficiency in children. Diffusion weighted images were collected from 17 Black children (age 8-11 years) who also completed the California Verbal Learning Test. To index white matter integrity, fractional anisotropy values were calculated for bilateral uncinate fasciculus. The results revealed that low anisotropy values corresponded to poor verbal memory, whereas high anisotropy values corresponded to significantly better verbal memory scores. These findings suggest that a greater degree of myelination and cohesiveness of axonal fibers in uncinate fasciculus underlie better verbal memory proficiency in children.
AB - During childhood, verbal learning and memory are important for academic performance. Recent functional MRI studies have reported on the functional correlates of verbal memory proficiency, but few have reported the underlying structural correlates. The present study sought to test the relationship between fronto-temporal white matter integrity and verbal memory proficiency in children. Diffusion weighted images were collected from 17 Black children (age 8-11 years) who also completed the California Verbal Learning Test. To index white matter integrity, fractional anisotropy values were calculated for bilateral uncinate fasciculus. The results revealed that low anisotropy values corresponded to poor verbal memory, whereas high anisotropy values corresponded to significantly better verbal memory scores. These findings suggest that a greater degree of myelination and cohesiveness of axonal fibers in uncinate fasciculus underlie better verbal memory proficiency in children.
KW - Children
KW - Diffusion tensor imaging
KW - Uncinate fasciculus
KW - Verbal memory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84904199705&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84904199705&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/WNR.0000000000000204
DO - 10.1097/WNR.0000000000000204
M3 - Article
C2 - 24949818
AN - SCOPUS:84904199705
SN - 0959-4965
VL - 25
SP - 921
EP - 925
JO - NeuroReport
JF - NeuroReport
IS - 12
ER -