Role of data-driven regional growth model in shaping brain folding patterns

The surface morphology of the developing mammalian brain is crucial for understanding brain function and dysfunction. Computational modeling offers valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms for early brain folding. Recent findings indicate significant regional variations in brain tissue growth, while the role of these variations in cortical development remains unclear. In this study, we explored how regional cortical growth affects brain folding patterns using computational simulation. We first developed growth models for typical cortical regions using machine learning (ML)-assisted symbolic regression, based on longitudinal real surface expansion and cortical thickness data from prenatal and infant brains derived from over 1000 MRI scans of 735 pediatric subjects with ages ranging from 29 postmenstrual weeks to 2 years of age. These models were subsequently integrated into computational software to simulate cortical development with anatomically realistic geometric models. We comprehensively quantified the resulting folding patterns using multiple metrics such as mean curvature, sulcal depth, and gyrification index. Our results demonstrate that regional growth models generate complex brain folding patterns that more closely match actual brains structures, both quantitatively and qualitatively, compared to conventional uniform growth models. Growth magnitude plays a dominant role in shaping folding patterns, while growth trajectory has a minor influence. Moreover, multi-region models better capture the intricacies of brain folding than single-region models. Our results underscore the necessity and importance of incorporating regional growth heterogeneity into brain folding simulations, which could enhance early diagnosis and treatment of cortical malformations and neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy and autism.