Structural brain correlates of non-verbal cognitive ability in 5-year-old children: Findings from the FinnBrain birth

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Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques

Published on: June 30, 2020

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Elmo P Pulli1,2, Saara Nolvi1,2,3, Eeva Eskola1,2,4

  • 1FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

Human Brain Mapping
|August 22, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Non-verbal cognitive ability in 5-year-olds is linked to brain anatomy, specifically in frontal and occipital regions. This study highlights the right medial occipital region

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Non-verbal cognitive ability is crucial for life outcomes like academic and job performance.
  • Previous research linked cognitive ability to parieto-frontal brain anatomy in adults and adolescents.
  • Young children's non-verbal cognitive ability and its structural brain correlates remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the associations between cortical anatomy and non-verbal cognitive ability in 5-year-olds.
  • To identify specific brain regions related to non-verbal cognitive performance in early childhood.
  • To contribute to understanding the neurodevelopmental basis of cognitive abilities.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized T1-weighted brain MRI scans from 165 5-year-old participants in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort study.
  • Processed brain images using FreeSurfer for detailed cortical anatomy analysis.
  • Assessed non-verbal cognitive ability via Performance Intelligence Quotient (PIQ) from Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III) subtests.

Main Results:

  • Positive associations found between PIQ scores and regional brain volumes in the left caudal middle frontal and right pericalcarine areas.
  • PIQ scores also correlated positively with surface area in the left caudal middle frontal, left inferior temporal, and right lingual regions.
  • No significant associations were observed between PIQ and cortical thickness; a novel link with the right medial occipital region's volume/surface area was identified.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first examination of structural brain correlates of non-verbal cognitive ability in a large cohort of 5-year-olds.
  • Findings align with prior research on older populations but add the significant discovery of the right medial occipital region's involvement.
  • The right medial occipital region is proposed as a key area for future research on cognitive development in early childhood.

Keywords:
MRIQdeccortexintelligenceneuroimaging

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