The human brain has a pattern of folds and ridges on its surface that provide physical landmarks for finding brain areas. The functional networks that govern cognition have long been studied in humans by lining up activation patterns – the software of the brain – to the hardware of these physical landmarks.
However, this process assumes that the functions of the brain are located on the same landmarks in each person. This works well for many simple brain systems, for example, the motor system controlling movement is usually right next to the same specific fold in each person. However, multiple recent studies in adults have shown this is not the case for more complex brain systems responsible for executive function – a set of mental processes which includes self-control and attention. In these systems, the functional networks do not always line up with the brain’s physical landmarks of folds and ridges.
“The exciting part of this work is that we are now able to identify the spatial layout of these functional networks in individual kids, rather than looking at everyone using the same ‘one size fits all’ approach,” said senior author Theodore D. Satterthwaite, MD.
To study how functional networks develop in children and supports executive function, the team analyzed a large sample of adolescents and young adults (693 participants, ages 8 to 23).
The researchers then examined how these functional networks evolved over adolescence, and were related to performance on a battery of cognitive tests. The team found that the functional neuroanatomy of these networks was refined with age, and allowed the researchers to predict how old a child with a high degree of accuracy.
Taken together, these results offer a new account of developmental plasticity and diversity and highlight the potential for progress in personalized diagnostics and therapeutics, the authors said.
