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Quantitative changes in the fibroarchitectonics of the human cortex from birth to the age of 12 years
T A Tsekhmistrenko1, V A Vasil'eva, N S Shumeiko
1Department of Human Anatomy, Russian University of the Friendship of the Peoples.
Insights
This study examined brain development in children up to 12 years old, revealing significant changes in cortical fibroarchitectonics during the first three years of life. These brain structure transformations continue at a slower pace through childhood.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Neuroanatomy
Background:
- Understanding the developmental trajectory of the human brain is crucial for identifying critical periods of neural plasticity and vulnerability.
- Fibroarchitectonics, the study of the arrangement of nerve fibers, provides insights into the structural organization and maturation of the cerebral cortex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the age-related changes in the fibroarchitectonic characteristics of diverse cortical areas in children from birth to 12 years.
- To determine the timing and intensity of these structural transformations across different functional and topographical regions of the brain.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of post-mortem brain tissue from 74 children (birth to 12 years) using Nissl and silver nitrate staining.
- Computer analysis of optical images of frontal cortical sections to quantify fiber bundle thickness, spacing, and neuron-to-fiber volume ratios.
- Detailed examination of specific Brodmann areas within sensorimotor, somatosensory, occipital, temporal-parietal-occipital, and frontal regions.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related transformations in cortical fibroarchitectonics were observed across sensorimotor, somatosensory, occipital, temporal-parietal-occipital, and frontal areas.
- The most pronounced structural changes occurred within the first 2-3 years of life.
- Less intense, but continuous, developmental changes in brain structure were noted up to 9-12 years of age.
Conclusions:
- The development of cortical fibroarchitectonics is a dynamic process that unfolds at different rates and intensities across various brain regions.
- Early childhood, particularly the first three years, represents a critical period for major structural reorganization in the developing human brain.
- These findings contribute to our understanding of neurodevelopmental timelines and the structural basis of cognitive maturation.
Abstract:
Brains from 74 children aged from birth to 12 years were used to study fibroarchitectonic characteristics in topographically and functional diverse cortical zones (the temporal-parietal-occipital subregion, occipital, precentral, postcentral, and frontal areas) of the cerebral cortex; children aged up to 12 months were studied on the basis of one-month age intervals. Studies were performed by computer analysis of optical images on frontal sections stained with Nissl cresyl violet and silver nitrate impregnation by the modified Peters method. Data on the rate of increase in the thickness of radial bundles of fibers, the distances between bundles, and the age dynamics of the ratios of the specific volumes of neurons and fibers in fields 3, 4p, 6op, 17, 19, 37ac, 44, and 32/10 were obtained. These measurements showed that age-related transformation of fibroarchitectonics in fields of the sensorimotor, somatosensory, occipital, temporal-parietal-occipital, and frontal areas occurred at different times and with different intensities; the most significant changes were seen in the first 2-3 years of life, with changes continuing at a less intense level to age 9-12 years.
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