Development of effective connectivity in the core network for face perception.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

• The core face network is crucial for recognizing faces.
• Understanding its development is key to understanding human cognition.
• Previous research has not fully detailed connectivity differences in early development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure and compare effective connectivity within the core face network in young children and adults.
• To investigate how experimental conditions modulate face network connections in different age groups.
• To elucidate the developmental trajectory of the core face network from childhood to adulthood.

Main Methods:

• Utilized paediatric magnetoencephalography (MEG) to record brain activity.
• Applied dynamic causal modeling (DCM) to analyze effective connectivity.
• Compared three candidate DCM models at individual and group levels in adults (N=14) and children (N=15, aged 3-6 years).

Main Results:

• Significant differences in connectivity structure were found in the core face network between adults and children.
• The modulation of connection strengths by experimental conditions varied between the two groups.
• Evidence suggests substantial structural configuration and functional specialization occur between ages 4 and adulthood.

Conclusions:

• The core face network's connectivity is not fully mature in young children (3-6 years).
• Development involves significant changes in network structure and function.
• These findings provide insights into the maturation of face processing in the human brain.