Developmental changes in patterns of brain activity associated with moment-to-moment adjustments in control.

The current study investigated age-related changes in patterns of brain activity associated with moment-to-moment adjustments in control through the use of fMRI. Fifty-eight participants ranging continuously in age from 9 to 32 years were scanned as they performed a task in which the need for rapid adjustments in control was greater in one condition than another. Despite comparable behavioral performance across ages, moment-to-moment adjustments were associated with stronger engagement of anterior cingulate, anterior insula, lateral prefrontal cortex and the intraparietal sulcus in older than in younger participants. The findings confirm the importance of cingulo-insular and fronto-parietal cortices for moment-to-moment adjustments in control, and suggest continuous increases in the utilization of these networks over development.