Abstract
Brain function and structure change significantly during the toddler and preschool years. However, most studies focus on older or younger children, so the specific nature of these changes is unclear. In the present study, we analyzed 77 functional magnetic resonance imaging datasets from 44 children aged 2–6 years. We extracted measures of both local (amplitude of low frequency fluctuation and regional homogeneity) and global (eigenvector centrality mapping) activity and connectivity, and examined their relationships with age using robust linear correlation analysis and strict control for head motion. Brain areas within the default mode network and the frontoparietal network, such as the middle frontal gyrus, the inferior parietal lobule and the posterior cingulate cortex, showed increases in local and global functional features with age. Several brain areas such as the superior parietal lobule and superior temporal gyrus presented opposite development trajectories of local and global functional features, suggesting a shifting connectivity framework in early childhood. This development of functional connectivity in early childhood likely underlies major advances in cognitive abilities, including language and development of theory of mind. These findings provide important insight into the development patterns of brain function during the preschool years, and lay the foundation for future studies of altered brain development in young children with brain disorders or injury.
Highlights
Childhood is a period during which there is significant development in cognitive functions, behavior, social abilities, and emotional maturity
We examine the development of brain function in young children aged 2 to 6 years using passive viewing fMRI, which is similar to resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI)
For ALFF analysis, significant positive correlations with age were found in the left middle frontal lobe, bilateral inferior parietal lobe and bilateral precuneus; negative correlations were found in the right middle temporal lobe, right sensorimotor cortex, and bilateral medial temporal regions (Fig. 3)
Summary
Childhood is a period during which there is significant development in cognitive functions, behavior, social abilities, and emotional maturity. Many neurodevelopmental disorders are first recognized and diagnosed during this time, and investigation of human brain development can provide insight into changes in cognitive functions, behavior, and emotional development (Brown and Jernigan, 2012). Neurodevelopmental disorders are associated with functional and structural brain alterations in preschool children (Dinstein et al, 2011; Mahone et al, 2011). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques have allowed us to develop a better understanding of typical functional and structural brain changes from late childhood to adulthood (Fjell et al, 2009; Lebel et al, 2008; Lebel and Beaulieu, 2011). Improving our understanding of functional brain development is critical for improving early identification of neurodevelopmental disorders during this period
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