Recognition memory improves with child development, but the neural mechanisms underlying such improvement and the developmental variation remain poorly understood. Herein, we investigated how the neural representations during the encoding and retrieval phases of recognition memory change with age, using representational similarity analysis in a sample of children aged 6–13 years (n = 137). Our results indicated that the encoding and retrieval phases have distinct neural patterns of development. Similarly, using a model-free approach, we confirmed that there is a key developmental stage (about 9–10 years old) for the neural representation during the encoding phase, whereas the neural representation during the retrieval phase tends to be stable with child development. Additionally, we identified that the neural similarity between the encoding and retrieval phases in children is primarily located in the left parietal-occipital region. Overall, these findings refine the developmental process underlying memory representation and enhance our understanding of the neural mechanisms of recognition memory.

EEG

RSA

Neural representation

Memory

Development

© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.