Individual Variation of Human Cortical Structure Is Established in the First Year of Life

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Individual differences in cortical gray matter (GM) structure are associated with cognitive function and psychiatric disorders with developmental origins. Identifying when individual differences in cortical structure are established in childhood is critical for understanding the timing of abnormal cortical development associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. METHODS:We studied the development of cortical GM and white matter (WM) volume, cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA) using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in two unique cohorts of singleton (121 male/131 female) and twin (99 male/83 female) children imaged longitudinally from birth to 6 years.Results: Cortical GM volume increases rapidly in the first year of life, with more gradual growth thereafter. Between ages 1 and 6 years, total SA expands 29%, while average CT decreases about 3.5%. In both cohorts, a large portion of individual variation in cortical GM volume (81-87%) and total SA (73-83%) at 6 years is present by age 1 year. Regional heterogeneity of CT observed at age 6 is largely in place at age 1. CONCLUSIONS:These findings indicate that individual differences in cortical GM structure are largely established by the end of the first year of life, following a period of rapid postnatal GM *

Brain charts for the human lifespan

“…1 , Supplementary Table 2.1 ) showed an initial strong increase in GMV from mid-gestation onwards, peaking at 5.9 years (95% bootstrap confidence interval (CI) 5.8–6.1), followed by a near-linear decrease. This peak was observed 2 to 3 years later than previous reports relying on smaller, more age-restricted samples 43 , 44 . WMV also increased rapidly from mid-gestation to early childhood, peaking at 28.7 years (95% bootstrap CI 28.1–29.2), with subsequent accelerated decline in WMV after 50 years.…”

Brain charts for the human lifespan

“…Lifespan curves (Fig 1C) show an initial strong increase in total cortical grey matter volume (GMV) from mid-gestation onwards, peaking at 6.3 years postnatal (bootstrapped confidence intervals = CI Boot : 6-6.4 years), followed by a near linear decrease. The observed peak occurs 2-3 years later than prior reports relying on smaller age-restricted samples 21,22 . Cerebral white matter volume (WMV) also increased rapidly from mid-gestation through early childhood, when rate-of-growth slowed before peaking at 28.9 years postnatal (CI Boot : 28.4-29.5 years), with subsequent accelerated decline in WMV after 50.…”

“…Lifespan curves ( Fig.1 ; ST2.1 ) showed an initial strong increase in GMV from mid-gestation onwards, peaking at 5.9 CI-Bootstrap:5.8-6.1 years, followed by a near-linear decrease. This peak was observed 2-3 years later than prior reports relying on smaller, more age-restricted samples 43,44 . WMV also increased rapidly from mid-gestation through early childhood peaking at 28.7 CI-Bootstrap:28.1-29.2 years, with subsequent accelerated decline in WMV after 50 years.…”

Audiovisual spatial recalibration but not integration is shaped by early sensory experience

“…In addition, although the age of cataract onset is known in CC individuals (congenital), it is not clearly defined in DC individuals because of the typically gradual onset of developmental cataracts. However, because age at surgery varied considerably but results were quite consistent across CC individuals (see Figure S8 ), our findings point to a crucial role of the first year in human brain development in accord with neuroanatomical studies ( Gilmore et al., 2020 ).…”