Evolving brain network dynamics in early childhood: Insights from modular graph metrics
Zeyu Song1, Zhenqi Jiang1, Zhao Zhang1
1School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology Zhengzhou Academy of Intelligent Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, PR China.
Neuroimage
|July 24, 2024
Summary
Brain network interactions become more specialized during early childhood, shifting from global integration to local processing. This development impacts information transmission efficiency, with the salience network playing a key role.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Network Science
Background:
- Modular dynamic graph theory metrics capture brain development patterns.
- Existing research lacks understanding of cross-community changes in early childhood functional networks and their impact on information transmission efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To trace cross-community structural changes in early childhood functional networks.
- To model the contributions of these changes to information transmission efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 194 functional MRI scans from 83 children (ages 2-8 years).
- Utilized sliding windows, modular algorithms, and spatiotemporal/centrality metrics.
- Employed mixed-effects linear models and mediation analysis.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related increases in temporal flexibility (DMN, ECN, SN) and SN spatiotemporal diversity.
- Decreased within-community diversity in the language network, indicating specialization.
- Increased between-community centrality (DMN, ECN, SN, language, dorsal attention networks).
- SN dynamics mediated age-related changes in global efficiency, while multiple networks mediated local efficiency changes.
Conclusions:
- Early childhood brain development shows a shift from global integration to local segregation in information processing.
- The salience network is crucial in this developmental transformation.
- Cross-community network adjustments significantly influence information transmission efficiency during development.
Keywords:
Brain developmentDynamic functional connectivityGraph theoryMediation analysisSliding time windowMore Related Videos
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