Development of Non-Spatial Grid-Like Neural Codes Predicts Inference and Intelligence

Abstract

Piagets theory posits that children develop structured knowledge schemas for inferring and assimilating new information, yet the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. In 203 participants aged 8-25 years, we investigated how maturation of a two-dimensional (2D) knowledge map underpins inferential reasoning and knowledge assimilation. Grid-cell-like codes in the entorhinal cortex (EC) strengthened with age, reflecting schema representations in non-spatial conceptual spaces, and were directly linked to improved inferential reasoning. These grid-like codes also supported the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in encoding distance relationships between objects on the 2D map. As participants assimilated new information, they integrated it into existing grid patterns in the EC. Moreover, the maturation of these neural codes predicted real-world intelligence measures, particularly in reasoning abilities. Our findings demonstrate that the development of non-spatial grid-like neural codes offers a mechanistic account of cognitive development, bridging psychological theory with a fundamental cellular representation of cognitive map.