Cognitive efficiency on a match to sample task decreases at the onset of puberty in children

The pubertal dip in performance is linked to the proliferation of synapses that occurs at the onset of puberty.

“The researchers linked this pubertal dip in performance to the proliferation of synapses that occurs at the onset of puberty.”

After puberty, from age 13-14, performance on the match-to-sample task improved until it returned to the pre-pubescent level by about 16-17 years.

“After puberty, from age 13-14, performance improved until it returned to the pre-pubescent level by the age of about 16-17 years.”

After puberty, excess synapses are pruned into specialised, efficient networks, which may explain the post-pubescent improvement on the match-to-sample task.

“Only later, after puberty, are the excess synapses pruned into specialised, efficient networks which may explain the post-pubescent improvement on this table (McGivern et al., 2002).”

A 10-20% increase in reaction time on the match-to-sample task occurred at the onset of puberty in the 10-11-year-old group of girls and in the 11-12-year-old group of boys, compared to the previous year group of each sex.

“A 10-20% increase in reaction time on the match-tosample task occurred at the onset of puberty in the 10-11-year-old group of girls and in the 11-12-yearold group of boys, compared to the previous year group of each sex (age 9-10 and 10-11 in girls and boys, respectively) (see Figure 4).”

McGivern et al. (2002) found a non-linear pattern of development in a match-to-sample task.

“A non-linear pattern of development was found in a recent behavioural study that used a match-tosample task (McGivern, Andersen, Byrd, Mutter, & Reilly, 2002).”

At the age of puberty onset, at 11-12 years, there was a decline in performance in the matching face and word condition.

“The results revealed that at the age of puberty onset, at 11-12 years, there was a decline in performance in the matching face and word condition”

Until pruning occurs after puberty, synaptic connections in the frontal cortex generate a low signal-to-noise ratio due to an excess of synapses, which renders cognitive performance less efficient.

“Based on these psychophysical results and in the context of structural MRI studies discussed above, it was suggested that until pruning occurs after puberty, synaptic connections in the frontal cortex generate a low signal to noise ratio due to an excess of synapses, which renders the cognitive performance less efficient.”

There is a dip in performance on the match-to-sample task at the onset of puberty.

“The results suggest that there is a dip in performance on this kind of task at the onset of puberty.”

The sudden proliferation of synapses at puberty results in a perturbation of cognitive performance.

“Therefore, the sudden proliferation of synapses that occurs at puberty results in a perturbation of cognitive performance.”

There is a significant difference in reaction times for an emotional match-to-sample task between the year preceding and the average age of puberty onset.

“Significant difference in reaction times for emotional match-to-sample task between the year preceding and the average age of puberty onset”

Understanding the mental states of others by processing facial expressions is a crucial skill and continues to develop across adolescence.

“Understanding the mental states of others by processing facial expressions is a crucial skill and is one that continues to develop across adolescence (McGivern et al. 2002).”