Development of structure-function coupling in human brain networks during youth.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

• Adolescent brain development involves protracted maturation of structural and functional connectivity.
• Higher-order cognitive functions, like executive function, improve during youth, but the underlying white-matter development supporting neural coordination is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the developmental trajectory of structure-function coupling in the brain during youth.
• To investigate how white-matter architecture development supports coordinated neural activity and cognitive maturation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized diffusion-weighted imaging and n-back functional MRI data from 727 individuals (ages 8-23).
• Analyzed cross-sectional and longitudinal data (n=294) to examine age-related changes in structure-function coupling.
• Correlated structure-function coupling with executive performance measures.

Main Results:

• Spatial variability in structure-function coupling corresponded with cortical hierarchies and functional specialization.
• Hierarchy-dependent age effects on coupling were observed in transmodal cortex.
• Rostrolateral prefrontal cortex coupling was linked to executive performance and mediated age-related improvements.

Conclusions:

• Structure-function coupling undergoes significant remodeling during adolescence, particularly in transmodal cortex.
• This developmental remodeling is crucial for supporting cognitive functions, including executive function.
• Findings highlight a key mechanism in adolescent brain development linking neural architecture to cognitive maturation.