Inhibitory Control Development: A Network Neuroscience Perspective

As one of the core executive functions, inhibition plays an important role in human life through development. Inhibitory control is defined as the ability to suppress actions when they are unlikely to accomplish valuable results. Contemporary neuroscience has investigated the underlying neural mechanisms of inhibitory control. The controversy started to arise, which resulted in two schools of thought: a modulatory and a network account of inhibitory control. In this systematic review, we survey developmental mechanisms in inhibitory control as well as neurodevelopmental diseases related to inhibitory dysfunctions. This evidence stands against the modulatory perspective of inhibitory control: the development of inhibitory control does not depend on a dedicated region such as the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) but relies on a more broadly distributed network.

Automated summary

Inhibition, as a core executive function, plays a crucial role in human development. Recent neuroscience research has investigated the neural mechanisms of inhibitory control, leading to a controversy between modulatory and network perspectives. This systematic review examines the developmental mechanisms of inhibitory control and neurodevelopmental diseases associated with inhibitory dysfunctions, providing evidence against the modulatory perspective and supporting the network perspective.