The relationship between structural and functional connectivity in typical development #6
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Research suggests that most human brains take about 25 years to fully mature. Neural fibers prune, develop and connect different regions and this formation of structural and functional brain networks supports the development of complex high-order cognitive functions. Although previous work has shown specific within and between networks changes in the default mode network, salience network and dorsal attention network, it remains unclear how changes in structural and functional connectivity affect each other.
Graph theory provides a theoretical framework to analyze the topological architecture of brain networks, including small-worldness, modular organization and core hubs. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between functional and structural connectivity maturation in healthy youth over a two-year period (baseline/9-10 years old and follow up/11-12 years old). This knowledge will help to better understand typical brain development during early puberty stages and can be used to examine atypical development in future studies.
The neural fibers prune, develop and connect to different regions or specific neuron forming the complex network structure. Many studies have shown that several regions play an important role in functional executing which is defined core hubs in brain graph. The core hubs are shifting accompany with age that influence subnetworks formulate networks such as DMN, SN or DAN. It’s unknown for how these networks formation and how could structural connection develop to support these functional networks.
The purpose of this study would be to characterize network graph parameters in typical developing children then comparing these parameters along different age stages (9-10 and11-12), finally evaluate the development of brain network and the relationship between structural and functional network. Findings will be important to understanding the typical development in adolescence brain and the substantial support for cognitive function.
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