RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Structural Maturation and Brain Activity Predict Future Working Memory Capacity during Childhood Development JF The Journal of Neuroscience JO J. Neurosci. FD Society for Neuroscience SP 1592 OP 1598 DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0842-13.2014 VO 34 IS 5 A1 Henrik Ullman A1 Rita Almeida A1 Torkel Klingberg YR 2014 UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/34/5/1592.abstract AB Human working memory capacity develops during childhood and is a strong predictor of future academic performance, in particular, achievements in mathematics and reading. Predicting working memory development is important for the early identification of children at risk for poor cognitive and academic development. Here we show that structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging data explain variance in children's working memory capacity 2 years later, which was unique variance in addition to that predicted using cognitive tests. While current working memory capacity correlated with frontoparietal cortical activity, the future capacity could be inferred from structure and activity in basal ganglia and thalamus. This gives a novel insight into the neural mechanisms of childhood development and supports the idea that neuroimaging can have a unique role in predicting children's cognitive development.