Abstract
Memory is a subjective experience that differs across individuals and cultures. The emphasis we place on certain memories and how we choose to encode, consolidate, and store them could alter neuroanatomy. Previous research findings have shown how experiences such as learning modify brain structure. Expanding on this idea, cross-cultural studies have provided evidence of structural differences between East Asians and Americans. In samples of 51 Americans and 57 Taiwanese, we investigated the relationship between individual differences in prefrontal lobe structures and memory performance on the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) and whether this relationship is modified by culture in Taiwanese and American young adults. Across both cultures, we observed that volume in the left rostral medial prefrontal cortex (defined in the present study as the rostral anterior cingulate) predicted higher scores on the CVLT trial 1 and long-delayed free recall, whereas volume in the right was associated with lower scores on the long-delayed free recall. In terms of cultural differences, the relationship between left rostral anterior cingulate and memory performance differed across cultures, with a larger volume predicting higher scores on the long-delayed free recall for Americans, but lower scores for Taiwanese participants. These findings suggest that the rmPFC contributes to memory in individuals and across cultures.