The ABCD Study: Brain Heterogeneity in Intelligence During a Neurodevelopmental Transition Stage
Qi Zhao1, Valerie Voon2, Lingli Zhang3
1School of Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China.
Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|January 17, 2022
Summary
Intelligence in preadolescents shows complex brain patterns. Higher intelligence correlates with varied cortical thickness, particularly in specific brain regions like the rostral anterior cingulate, suggesting developmental dissociation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- A complex relationship exists between intelligence and brain development, specifically cortical thickness.
- Preadolescence is a critical transition period for neurodevelopment and cognitive changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the fine-grained relationship between intelligence and cortical thickness/surface area in preadolescents.
- To identify specific brain regions associated with intelligence during this developmental stage.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a large dataset from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, including 9- and 11-year-old children.
- Derived cortical thickness from T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance images.
- Assessed intelligence using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery composite scores (fluid, crystallized, total).
- Employed a double generalized linear model to analyze associations between cortical measures and intelligence.
Main Results:
- Higher intelligence was linked to increased cortical thickness in orbitofrontal and sensory cortices.
- Conversely, higher intelligence was associated with decreased cortical thickness in dorsolateral, medial prefrontal, and rostral anterior cingulate cortices.
- The rostral anterior cingulate showed significant associations across all intelligence subscales and greater interindividual similarity with higher intelligence.
Conclusions:
- Intelligence in preadolescence reflects a dissociation in cortical development between basic cognitive processes and higher-order executive/motivational functions.
- Specific cortical regions, notably the rostral anterior cingulate, play a crucial role in mediating intelligence during this developmental window.
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