Common and heritable components of white matter microstructure predict cognitive function at 1 and 2 y
Seung Jae Lee1,2, Rachel J Steiner1, Yang Yu3
1Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.
Summary
White matter (WM) tract correlations decrease from birth to age two, but common factors identified through diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) predict cognitive development and are heritable.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- White matter (WM) microstructure relates to cognitive function.
- Common properties across WM tracts correlate with overall cognition in adults.
- Early childhood development of these common WM properties is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate common underlying factors in 12 fiber tracts using DTI.
- Examine the relationship between these factors and cognitive function.
- Assess the heritability of these factors in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study.
- Sample included healthy children at birth (n=535), 1 year (n=322), and 2 years (n=244).
- Analyzed correlations and factor structure of 12 major WM tracts.
Main Results:
- Significant correlations between major WM tracts decrease from birth to 2 years.
- Factor structure complexity increases from one factor at birth to three by age 2, explaining 50% of variance.
- Common DTI factors correlate with general cognitive scores and predict later cognitive ability.
- Identified factors show moderate heritability.
Conclusions:
- WM fiber tracts differentiate anatomically from birth to 2 years, correlating with cognitive development.
- The common factor approach effectively studies WM development and cognition.
- This approach is valuable for future imaging genetic studies.
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