Pubertal timing predicts resting-state functional connectivity of cortical networks

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Adolescent Development
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Pubertal timing profoundly influences adolescent brain development and mental health.
• Its specific impact on cortical resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) is under-explored.
• Pubertal timing was quantified using puberty age gap (PAG), comparing predicted puberty age to chronological age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if individual differences in pubertal timing predict large-scale cortical rs-FC patterns in adolescents.
• To examine associations between PAG and rs-FC within and between 12 large-scale brain networks.
• To differentiate contributions from physical vs. hormonal maturation and adrenal vs. gonadal phases.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the ABCD Study (N≈3500).
• Calculated PAG using physical and hormonal features.
• Assessed cross-sectional and prospective associations between PAG and rs-FC in males and females.

Main Results:

• Earlier pubertal timing (greater PAG) correlated with altered rs-FC within and between cortical networks.
• Associations often mirrored normative age-related rs-FC development.
• Specific alterations were observed in higher-order control and executive systems, particularly in males.

Conclusions:

• Pubertal timing, independent of chronological age, is crucial for shaping cortical functional connectivity.
• Sensorimotor, salience, and higher-order control networks are significantly impacted.
• Pubertal timing explains additional variability in adolescent brain organization beyond age alone.