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Despite its universal appeal, the neurocognitive mechanisms that drive the efficacy of AMC training remain poorly understood. Notably, although abacus training relies heavily on the rapid recall of number positions and sequences, the role of memory systems in driving long\u2010term AMC learning remains unknown. Here, we sought to address this gap by investigating the role of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) memory system in predicting long\u2010term AMC training gains in second\u2010grade children, who were longitudinally assessed up to fifth grade. Leveraging multimodal neuroimaging data, we tested the hypothesis that MTL systems, known for their involvement in associative memory, are instrumental in facilitating AMC\u2010induced improvements in math skills. We found that gray matter volume in bilateral MTL, along with functional connectivity between the MTL and frontal and ventral temporal\u2010occipital cortices, significantly predicted learning gains. Intriguingly, greater gray matter volume but weaker connectivity of the posterior parietal cortex predicted better learning outcomes, offering a more nuanced view of brain systems at play in AMC training. Our findings not only underscore the critical role of the MTL memory system in AMC training but also illuminate the neurobiological factors contributing to individual differences in cognitive skill acquisition. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" xlink:href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/StVooNRc7T8\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/StVooNRc7T8<\/jats:ext-link>.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Research Highlights<\/jats:title><jats:p><jats:list list-type=\"bullet\">\n<jats:list-item><jats:p>We investigated the role of medial temporal lobe (MTL) memory system in driving children's math learning following abacus\u2010based mental calculation (AMC) training.<\/jats:p><\/jats:list-item>\n<jats:list-item><jats:p>AMC training improved math skills in elementary school children across their second and fifth grade.<\/jats:p><\/jats:list-item>\n<jats:list-item><jats:p>MTL structural integrity and functional connectivity with prefrontal and ventral temporal\u2010occipital cortices predicted long\u2010term AMC training\u2010related gains.<\/jats:p><\/jats:list-item>\n<\/jats:list><\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/desc.13489","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,29]],"date-time":"2024-02-29T12:46:01Z","timestamp":1709210761000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Long\u2010term abacus training gains in children are predicted by medial temporal lobe anatomy and circuitry"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"27","author":[{"given":"Ye","family":"Xie","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Bio\u2010X Laboratory, School of Physics Zhejiang University  Hangzhou PR China"},{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Stanford University School of Medicine  Stanford California USA"},{"name":"Center for Brain and Mental Well\u2010being, Department of Psychology Sun Yat\u2010sen University  Guangzhou PR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2231-1112","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hyesang","family":"Chang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Stanford University School of Medicine  Stanford California USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yi","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Bio\u2010X Laboratory, School of Physics Zhejiang University  Hangzhou PR China"},{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering Zhejiang University  Hangzhou PR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chunjie","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Bio\u2010X Laboratory, School of Physics Zhejiang University  Hangzhou PR China"},{"name":"Institute of Brain Science and Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Hangzhou Normal University  Hangzhou PR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuan","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Stanford University School of Medicine  Stanford California USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2118-5601","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lang","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Stanford University School of Medicine  Stanford California USA"},{"name":"Department of Psychology Santa Clara University  Santa Clara California USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fengji","family":"Geng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences Zhejiang University  Hangzhou PR China"},{"name":"Children's Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health  Hangzhou PR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yixuan","family":"Ku","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Brain and Mental Well\u2010being, Department of Psychology Sun Yat\u2010sen University  Guangzhou PR China"},{"name":"Peng Cheng Laboratory  Shenzhen PR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vinod","family":"Menon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Stanford University School of Medicine  Stanford California USA"},{"name":"Department of Neurology &amp; 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