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[Structural Brain Development in Healthy Children and Adolescents].
Izumi Matsudaira1, Ryuta Kawashima, Yasuyuki Taki
1Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University.
Brain and Nerve = Shinkei Kenkyu No Shinpo
|May 9, 2017
Summary
Understanding brain development in children and adolescents is crucial for diagnosing neurodevelopmental disorders. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyzes brain MRI scans to explore factors influencing healthy brain maturation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental biology
- Medical imaging
Background:
- Brain maturation continues through childhood and adolescence.
- Understanding typical brain development is vital for identifying neurodevelopmental disorders and preventing psychiatric or neurodegenerative diseases.
- Brain structure in children and adolescents shows significant variation based on age, sex, and other factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review studies utilizing Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) to investigate structural brain development in healthy children and adolescents.
- To discuss the relationship between VBM findings and factors such as age, lifestyle, parenting, and genetic variations.
Main Methods:
- Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) is employed to analyze brain magnetic resonance images (MRI).
- This method is suitable for assessing structural brain changes in pediatric and adolescent populations.
- The review synthesizes information from existing VBM studies.
Main Results:
- VBM effectively analyzes structural variations in developing brains.
- Studies reveal correlations between brain structure and factors like age, lifestyle, parenting, and genetics.
- These findings contribute to understanding typical brain maturation trajectories.
Conclusions:
- VBM is a valuable tool for studying structural brain development in youth.
- Identifying factors influencing typical development aids in understanding atypical development.
- This research supports early diagnosis and intervention for neurodevelopmental disorders.
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