Paper Info
Title
Development of functional and structural connectivity within the default mode network in young children.
Abstract
Functional and structural maturation of networks comprised of discrete regions is an important aspect of brain development. The default-mode network (DMN) is a prominent network which includes the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), medial temporal lobes (MTL), and angular gyrus (AG). Despite increasing interest in DMN function, little is known about its maturation from childhood to adulthood. Here we examine developmental changes in DMN connectivity using a multimodal imaging approach by combining resting-state fMRI, voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging-based tractography. We found that the DMN undergoes significant developmental changes in functional and structural connectivity, but these changes are not uniform across all DMN nodes. Convergent structural and functional connectivity analyses suggest that PCC-mPFC connectivity along the cingulum bundle is the most immature link in the DMN of children. Both PCC and mPFC also showed gray matter volume differences, as well as prominent macrostructural and microstructural differences in the dorsal cingulum bundle linking these regions. Notably, structural connectivity between PCC and left MTL was either weak or non-existent in children, even though functional connectivity did not differ from that of adults. These results imply that functional connectivity in children can reach adult-like levels despite weak structural connectivity. We propose that maturation of PCC-mPFC structural connectivity plays an important role in the development of self-related and social-cognitive functions that emerge during adolescence. More generally, our study demonstrates how quantitative multimodal analysis of anatomy and connectivity allows us to better characterize the heterogeneous development and maturation of brain networks.
Year
DOI
Venue
2010
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.04.009
NeuroImage
Keywords
Field
DocType
DMN,PCC,mPFC,MTL,fMRI,DTI,VBM
Cortex (botany),Voxel,Developmental psychology,Neuroscience,Default mode network,Diffusion MRI,Prefrontal cortex,Angular gyrus,Cognitive psychology,Psychology,Posterior cingulate,Tractography
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
52
1
1053-8119
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
49
1.84
10
Authors
6
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Kaustubh Supekar156932.77
Lucina Q Uddin235226.92
Katherine Prater3491.84
Hitha Amin4491.84
Michael D Greicius523613.29
Vinod Menon61028102.30