Convergent and Divergent Brain-Cognition Development
Yapei Xie1,2,3,4, Shaoshi Zhang1,2,3,4,5, Csaba Orban1,2,3,4
1Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|June 12, 2025
Summary
Stable brain network organization in early adolescence strongly predicts future cognitive abilities. This foundational brain connectivity influences cognition more than short-term changes or current cognitive status.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Understanding the co-evolution of brain networks and cognitive abilities during development is crucial.
- The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study provides valuable longitudinal data for investigating these relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how resting-state functional connectivity (FC) and its changes predict cognitive abilities in early adolescence.
- To determine whether baseline FC or longitudinal FC change is a stronger predictor of future cognitive function.
- To explore the dynamic interplay between brain network organization and cognitive development over time.
Main Methods:
- Utilized longitudinal data from 2,949 individuals (ages 8.9-13.5) from the ABCD study.
- Analyzed baseline and Year 2 resting-state functional connectivity (FC) and cognitive ability measures.
- Employed predictive modeling to assess the relationship between FC and cognitive outcomes, considering reliability differences.
Main Results:
- Baseline functional connectivity (FC) was a stronger predictor of future cognitive ability than concurrent cognitive ability.
- Predictive models trained on baseline FC generalized better to future cognitive data, indicating strengthening brain-cognition relationships.
- Baseline FC outperformed longitudinal FC change in predicting future cognitive ability, even after accounting for measurement reliability.
Conclusions:
- Stable individual differences in brain functional network organization during early adolescence significantly influence future cognitive outcomes.
- The findings suggest that foundational brain connectivity plays a more critical role in cognitive development than short-term fluctuations in connectivity.
- This research offers insights into the developmental trajectory of brain-cognition relationships and highlights the importance of stable network organization.
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