title: The relationship between uncinate fasciculus white matter integrity and verbal memory proficiency in children.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departments of aNeuroscience bPsychology cComputer Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia Departments of dRadiology ePediatrics and Georgia Prevention Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schaeffer
authors.forename: Cynthia E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Krafft
authors.forename: Nicolette F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Lingxi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rodrigue
authors.forename: Jordan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.forename: Jerry D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Allison
authors.forename: Nathan E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Yanasak
authors.forename: Tianming
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Catherine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: McDowell
mesh_terms: D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013067:Speech Perception; D066127:White Matter / Q000033:anatomy & histology*