Key Brain Network Nodes Show Differential Cognitive Relevance and Developmental Trajectories during Childhood and Adolescence

Abstract

Human adolescence is a period of rapid changes in cognition and goal-directed behavior, and it constitutes a major transitional phase towards adulthood. One of the mechanisms suggested to underlie the protracted maturation of functional brain networks, is the increased network integration and segregation enhancing neural efficiency. Importantly, the increasing coordinated network interplay throughout development is mediated through functional hubs, which are highly connected brain areas suggested to be pivotal nodes for the regulation of neural activity. To elucidate brain hub development during childhood and adolescence, we estimated voxel-wise eigenvector centrality (EC) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from two different psychological contexts (resting state and a working memory task), in a large cross-sectional sample (n = 754) spanning the age from 8 to 22 years, and decomposed the maps using independent component analysis (ICA). Our results reveal significant age-related centrality differences in cingulo-opercular, visual, and sensorimotor network nodes during both rest and task performance, suggesting that common neurodevelopmental processes manifest across different mental states. Supporting the functional significance of these developmental patterns, the centrality of the cingulo-opercular node was positively associated with task performance. These findings provide evidence for protracted maturation of hub properties in specific nodes of the brain connectome during the course of childhood and adolescence and suggest that cingulo-opercular centrality is a key factor supporting neurocognitive development.

An expanding manifold in transmodal regions characterizes adolescent reconfiguration of structural connectome organization

“…Adolescence is a time of profound and genetically mediated changes in whole-brain network organization [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] . Adolescent development is important for overall maturation in cognitive and educational functions and brain health more generally, a notion reinforced by the overlapping onset of several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders [8][9][10][11][12][13] .…”

Functional connectivity differences in brain networks from childhood to youth

“…Hwang et al have found using the graph theory in the (10-20) age range, the connection between the CN centers and the connection between the cortical regions increased from adolescence to adulthood. 59 As a result of the studies, it was observed that there was a significant decrease in the centrality of the thalamus and cerebellum among the subcortical components and it showed increasing activation with age. They showed that the CN shows a weak network connection, within-network connectivity and between-network connectivity and decreases with age.…”

“…58 Kolskar et al looked at the age range of (8-22) years in their work with fMRI during rest and task performance, DMN, cingulo-opercular, visual, subcortical components (bilateral putamen, bilateral thalamus, and cerebellum), frontoparietal-related components and sensorimotor network nodes and examined age-related differences with ICA. 59 As a result of the studies, it was observed that there was a significant decrease in the centrality of the thalamus and cerebellum among the subcortical components and it showed increasing activation with age.…”

“…59 Jolles et al investigated the functional connection of the entire brain in children (11-13 years of age) and young adults (19-25 years of age), without any prior limitation on specific seed regions. For the task, they found that there was an increase in connectivity in the visual network as age increased.…”

“…For the task, they found that there was an increase in connectivity in the visual network as age increased. 59 Jolles et al investigated the functional connection of the entire brain in children (11-13 years of age) and young adults (19-25 years of age), without any prior limitation on specific seed regions. Surprisingly, the functional networks associated with the basic visual or sensorimotor functions had an inverse effect.…”