Abstract
Introduction: Brain network modularity is a principle that quantifies the degree to which functional brain networks are divided into subnetworks. Higher modularity reflects a greater number of within-module connections and fewer connections between modules, and a highly modular brain is often interpreted as a brain that contains highly specialized brain networks with less integration between networks. Recent work in younger and older adults has demonstrated that individual differences in brain network modularity at baseline can predict improvements in performance after cognitive and physical interventions. The use of brain network modularity as a predictor of training outcomes has not yet been examined in children.Method: In the present study, we examined the relationship between baseline brain network modularity and changes (post-intervention performance minus pre-intervention performance) in cognitive and academic performance in 8- to 9-year-old children who participated in an after-school physical activity intervention for 9 months (N = 78) as well as in children in a wait-list control group (N = 72).Results: In children involved in the after-school physical activity intervention, higher modularity of brain networks at baseline predicted greater improvements in cognitive performance for tasks of executive function, cognitive efficiency, and mathematics achievement. There were no associations between baseline brain network modularity and performance changes in the wait-list control group.Discussion: Our study has implications for biomarkers of cognitive plasticity in children. Understanding predictors of cognitive performance and academic progress during child development may facilitate the effectiveness of interventions aimed to improve cognitive and brain health.
Highlights
Brain network modularity is a principle that quantifies the degree to which functional brain networks are divided into subnetworks
We examined the relationship between baseline brain network modularity and changes in cognitive and academic performance in 8- to 9-year-old children who participated in an after-school physical activity intervention for 9 months compared to children randomized to a wait-list control group
Higher modularity of brain networks at baseline predicted greater improvements in cognitive performance and scholastic performance in children involved in an after-school physical activity intervention for 9 months
Summary
Brain network modularity is a principle that quantifies the degree to which functional brain networks are divided into subnetworks. The use of brain network modularity as a predictor of training outcomes has not yet been examined in children Cognitive processes such as executive functions (inhibition, working memory, mental flexibility), attention, and memory are known to play a role in successful goal-directed behavior and scholastic performance (St. Clair-Thompson and Gathercole, 2006; Bull et al, 2008). Participation in physical activity is a promising intervention to improve cognitive and brain health during childhood and across the lifespan (Hillman et al, 2014; Donnelly et al, 2016; Kramer and Colcombe, 2018; Chaddock-Heyman et al, 2019). Participation in physical activity and higher levels of aerobic fitness is positively related to cognitive function, scholastic performance, and brain health in preadolescent children (for a review see Chaddock-Heyman et al, 2014). Active and higher fit children outperform less active and lower fit children on cognitive and scholastic tasks, and the performance differences are paralleled by differences in brain structure and brain function (for reviews see ChaddockHeyman et al, 2014; Donnelly et al, 2016)
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