QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, October 7, 2009, 29(40):12558-12567; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1579-09.2009

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental Data Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Velanova, K. Articles by Luna, B. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Velanova, K. Articles by Luna, B.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
The Maturation of Task Set-Related Activation Supports Late Developmental Improvements in Inhibitory Control

Katerina Velanova,¹ Mark E. Wheeler,² and Beatriz Luna^1,2

Departments of ¹Psychiatry and ²Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213

Correspondence should be addressed to Katerina Velanova, 121 Meyran Avenue, Loeffler Building, Room 109, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Email: velanovak{at}upmc.edu

The ability to voluntarily inhibit a single response is evident early in development, even as the ability to maintain an inhibitory "task set" continues to improve. To date, functional neuroimaging studies have detailed developmental changes in systems supporting inhibitory control exerted at the single-trial level, but changes underlying the ability to maintain an inhibitory task set remain little understood. Here we present findings from a functional magnetic resonance imaging study that characterizes the development of systems supporting both transient (trial-related) and sustained (task set-related) activation during performance of the antisaccade task—an oculomotor test of inhibitory control (Hallett, 1978). Transient activation decreased from childhood to adolescence in regions known to support inhibitory processes and oculomotor control, likely reflecting less effortful response production. In contrast, sustained activation increased to adulthood in regions implicated in control. Our results suggest that development of the ability to maintain a task set is primary to the maturation of inhibitory control and, furthermore, that this ability is still immature in adolescence.

---

Received April 1, 2009; revised July 16, 2009; accepted Sept. 2, 2009.

Correspondence should be addressed to Katerina Velanova, 121 Meyran Avenue, Loeffler Building, Room 109, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Email: velanovak{at}upmc.edu

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help