Multiple Demand system′s activity predicts individual differences in working memory and fluid intelligence

Executive abilities are supported by the fronto-parietal Multiple Demand (MD) network, yet attempts to link individual behavioral variability to MD activity have yielded contradictory findings. In a large-scale fMRI study (n=140), higher MD responses were strongly associated with better performance on a working memory task and higher IQ. These results pave the way for using individual fMRI measures to link genetic and behavioral variation in health and disease.