Unleashing children’s potential: An evidence-based narrative review of strategies to enhance cognitive function and intelligence in school-age children

Table 1 Core cognitive domains in school-age children: Neural substrates and modifiable influences

Cognitive domain	Primary neural substrates	Key developmental features (6-12 years)	Major modifiable factors
General intelligence (g)	Distributed frontoparietal network; default mode and executive control networks	Integration of reasoning, learning efficiency, and knowledge acquisition; increasing network efficiency	Quality of education, cognitive stimulation, nutrition, socioeconomic context, and health status
Executive function	PFC (dorsolateral, ventromedial), anterior cingulate cortex, frontostriatal circuits	Progressive maturation of inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, planning, and self-regulation	Executive-function-based curricula, physical activity, sleep quality, stress reduction, and parenting practices
Working memory	Dorsolateral PFC, posterior parietal cortex, frontoparietal connectivity	Rapid gains in information maintenance and manipulation; strong predictor of academic performance	Cognitive training, instructional design, sleep, nutrition, and emotional regulation
Attention	Frontoparietal attention networks, thalamocortical circuits, locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system	Improved sustained and selective attention; reduced distractibility	Classroom structure, behavioral interventions, physical activity, mindfulness, screen-time regulation
Processing speed	White matter tracts (e.g., corpus callosum), widespread cortical-subcortical connectivity	Increased neural transmission efficiency driven by myelination and network refinement	Physical activity, sleep, health status, enriched learning environments

PFC: Prefrontal cortex.