Development of functional and structural connectivity within the default mode network in young children
Kaustubh Supekar, Lucina Q. Uddin, Katherine E. Prater, Hitha Amin, Michael D. Greicius, Vinod Menon
Neuroimage April 11, 2010 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.04.009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Children and adults |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Keywords | Cingulum brain Diffusion MRI Functional connectivity Prefrontal cortex Posterior cingulate Resting State FMRI Tractography Connectome Cognition Fractional anisotropy Magnetic resonance imaging |
| Citations | 548 |
| Key findings | The default-mode network undergoes significant developmental changes in functional and structural connectivity, with PCC-mPFC connectivity along the cingulum bundle being the most immature link in 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.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A default mode of brain function Normal adult human brain | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational cohort | |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 24
- Broadband Cortical Desynchronization Underlies the Human Psychedelic State Journal of Neuroscience September 18, 2013
- The Default Mode Network in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Brain Connectivity December 5, 2016
- The sense of self in the aftermath of trauma: lessons from the default mode network in posttraumatic stress disorder European Journal of Psychotraumatology October 23, 2020
- The temporal structure of resting-state brain activity in the medial prefrontal cortex predicts self-consciousness Neuropsychologia January 21, 2016
- Decreased mental time travel to the past correlates with default-mode network disintegration under lysergic acid diethylamide Journal of Psychopharmacology 2016
and 19 more in the library
Cites 5
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Cerebral Cortex April 9, 2008
- Microstructural organization of the cingulum tract and the level of default mode functional connectivity. Journal of Neuroscience October 1, 2008
- Consistency and functional specialization in the default mode brain network Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences July 15, 2008
- Functional connectivity in the resting brain: A network analysis of the default mode hypothesis Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences December 27, 2002