Girls’ attentive traits associate with cerebellar to dorsal attention and default mode network connectivity

Abstract

Attention traits are a cornerstone to the healthy development of children's performance in the classroom, their interactions with peers, and in predicting future success and problems. The cerebellum is increasingly appreciated as a region involved in complex cognition and behavior, and moreover makes important connections to key brain networks known to support attention: the dorsal attention and default mode networks (DAN; DMN). The cerebellum has also been implicated in childhood disorders affecting attention, namely autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), suggesting that attention networks extending to the cerebellum may be important to consider in relation to attentive traits. Yet, direct investigations into the association between cerebellar FC and attentive traits are lacking. Therefore, in this study we examined attentive traits, assessed using parent reports of ADHD and ASD symptoms, in a community sample of 52 girls aged 4-7 years, i.e. around the time of school entry, and their association with cerebellar connections with the DAN and DMN.We found that cortico-cerebellar functional connectivity (FC) jointly and differentially correlated with attentive traits, through a combination of weaker and stronger FC across anterior and posterior DAN and DMN nodes. These findings suggest that corticocerebellar integration may play an important role in the manifestation of attentive traits.

Functional connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex with pain-related regions in children with post-traumatic headache

“…The usefulness of GSR in resting-state fMRI analysis is highly debated. 48 –54,56,113 Similar to others, 80 we found similar general group difference maps of ACC FC with and without GSR; however, the differences without GSR analysis, did not pass the threshold of p < 0.05. Other studies have also reported that GSR increases the likelihood of identifying significant group differences, especially where regions are negatively associated.…”

“…[77][78][79] We found evidence of increased negative perigenual ACC FC with the cerebellum in children with PTH (compared to controls). As increased ventral ACC FC to the cerebellum has previously been associated with attention problems, 80 the increased pACC-cerebellum FC seen in our study could suggest dysregulated attentional modulation of pain.…”