Innate organization of the human brain

Abstract

The adult brain is organized into distinct functional networks, forming the basis of information processing and determining individual differences in behavior. Is this network organization genetically determined and present at birth? Here, we use unsupervised learning to uncover intrinsic functional brain organization using resting-state connectivity from a large cohort of neonates (Developing Human Connectome Project). We identified a set of symmetric, hierarchical, and replicable networks: sensorimotor, visual, default mode, ventral attention, and high-level vision. We also quantified neonate individual variability, finding low variability for sensorimotor, but high for ventral attention networks. These neonate networks resembled adult networks (Yeo et al., 2011), but frontoparietal and limbic networks found in adults were indiscernible in neonates. Finally, differential gene expression provided a potential explanation for the emergence of these distinct networks. Our results reveal the basic proto-organization of cortex at birth, but indicate a role for maturation and experience in developing adult-like functional brain organization.