Dual-axis myelination covariance drives the functional connectivity emergence during infancy
Weijin Liu1,2,3,4, Yuanyuan Chen5,6,7,8, Xinhao Wang1,2,3,4
1Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Nature Communications
|March 20, 2026
Summary
Newborn brain networks emerge from gray matter myelination, not just white matter. This myelination-function coupling (MFC) predicts later behaviors, offering new insights into infant brain development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Perinatal brain functional connectivity mechanisms are not fully understood.
- Existing models emphasize white matter myelination, yet neonates show mature networks with immature white matter.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose gray matter myelination covariance as a basis for early functional connectivity.
- To introduce a dual-axis myelination covariance framework and a myelination-function coupling (MFC) index for newborns.
Main Methods:
- Development of a dual-axis myelination covariance framework.
- Derivation of a novel myelination-function coupling (MFC) index for the neonatal brain.
- Analysis of spatial patterns, age-dependency, and correlation with gene expression.
Main Results:
- The MFC index revealed distinct spatial patterns in sensory and motor cortices.
- MFC strength increased with age and showed distance-dependent properties.
- Neonatal MFC patterns correlated with gene expression related to neurovascular coupling and predicted later behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Early brain functional integration relies on both white matter and intracortical microstructure synchrony.
- Gray matter myelination covariance is a critical factor in the emergence of neonatal functional networks.
- The findings provide a new framework for understanding the developmental connectome in infancy.
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