scholarly journals Imaging structural brain development in childhood and adolescence

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian K. Tamnes ◽  
Kathryn L. Mills

The human brain undergoes a remarkably protracted development. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has allowed us to capture these changes through longitudinal investigations. In this chapter, we describe the typical developmental trajectories of human brain structure between childhood and early adulthood. We focus on measurements of brain morphometry and measurements derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). By integrating findings from multiple longitudinal investigations with seminal cellular studies, we describe neurotypical patterns of structural brain development and possible underlying biological mechanisms. Finally, we highlight several new measures and approaches to examine structural brain development.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn L. Mills ◽  
Christian K. Tamnes

The development of the human brain involves a prolonged course of maturation, enabling us to learn to navigate our complex social environments. Here, we give short introductions to post-mortem and animal studies on postnatal brain development and selected methodological considerations for longitudinal developmental neuroimaging. We then describe typical developmental changes in brain structure and function from childhood to adulthood. We focus on measurements derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and on longitudinal data. Specifically, we discuss brain structural development based on morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies, and functional development based on resting-state and task-based functional MRI. Finally, we highlight selected current overarching research questions and argue that an important step in answering these questions is to study individual differences in longitudinal brain development.


Author(s):  
Kathryn L. Mills ◽  
Christian K. Tamnes

The development of the human brain involves a prolonged course of maturation, enabling us to learn to navigate our complex social environments. Here, the authors give short introductions to post-mortem and animal studies on postnatal brain development and selected methodological considerations for longitudinal developmental neuroimaging. The authors then describe typical developmental changes in brain structure and function from childhood to adulthood. The authors focus on measurements derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and on longitudinal data. Specifically, the authors discuss brain structural development based on morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies, and functional development based on resting-state and task-based functional MRI. Finally, the authors highlight selected current overarching research questions and argue that an important step in answering these questions is to study individual differences in longitudinal brain development.


NeuroImage ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 124 ◽  
pp. 1125-1130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay Walker ◽  
Lin-Ching Chang ◽  
Amritha Nayak ◽  
M. Okan Irfanoglu ◽  
Kelly N. Botteron ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 2139-2150 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Emsell ◽  
C. Chaddock ◽  
N. Forde ◽  
W. Van Hecke ◽  
G. J. Barker ◽  
...  

BackgroundWhite matter (WM) abnormalities are proposed as potential endophenotypic markers of bipolar disorder (BD). In a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) voxel-based analysis (VBA) study of families multiply affected with BD, we previously reported that widespread abnormalities of fractional anisotropy (FA) are associated with both BD and genetic liability for illness. In the present study, we further investigated the endophenotypic potential of WM abnormalities by applying DTI tractography to specifically investigate tracts implicated in the pathophysiology of BD.MethodDiffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were acquired from 19 patients with BD type I from multiply affected families, 21 of their unaffected first-degree relatives and 18 healthy volunteers. DTI tractography was used to identify the cingulum, uncinate fasciculus (UF), arcuate portion of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), corpus callosum, and the anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC). Regression analyses were conducted to investigate the effect of participant group and genetic liability on FA and radial diffusivity (RD) in each tract.ResultsWe detected a significant effect of group on both FA and RD in the cingulum, SLF, callosal splenium and ILF driven by reduced FA and increased RD in patients compared to controls and relatives. Increasing genetic liability was associated with decreased FA and increased RD in the UF, and decreased FA in the SLF, among patients.ConclusionsWM microstructural abnormalities in limbic, temporal and callosal pathways represent microstructural abnormalities associated with BD whereas alterations in the SLF and UF may represent potential markers of endophenotypic risk.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Malone ◽  
Jeremy Harper ◽  
William G. Iacono

Time-frequency representations of electroencephalographic signals lend themselves to granular analysis of cognitive and psychological processes. Characterizing developmental trajectories of time-frequency measures can thus inform us about the development of the processes involved. We decomposed EEG activity in a large sample of individuals (N = 1692; 917 females) assessed at approximately three-year intervals from the age of 11 to their mid-20s. Participants completed an oddball task that elicits a robust P3 response. Principal component analysis served to identify meaningful dimensions of time-frequency energy. Component loadings were virtually identical across assessment waves. A common and stable set of time-frequency dynamics thus characterized EEG activity throughout this age range. Trajectories of change in component scores suggest that aspects of brain development reflected in these components comprise two distinct phases, with marked decreases in component amplitude throughout much of adolescence followed by smaller yet significant rates of decreases into early adulthood. Although the structure of time-frequency activity was stable throughout adolescence and early adulthood, we observed subtle change in component loadings as well. Our findings suggest that striking developmental change in event-related potentials emerges through gradual change in the magnitude and timing of a stable set of dimensions of time-frequency activity, illustrating the usefulness of time-frequency representations of EEG signals and longitudinal designs for understanding brain development. In addition, two components were associated with childhood externalizing psychopathology, independent of sex, which extends the existing literature and provides proof of concept of the notion that developmental trajectories might serve as candidate endophenotypes for psychiatric disorders.


2013 ◽  
Vol 150 (2) ◽  
pp. 610-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Ambrosi ◽  
Maria Camilla Rossi-Espagnet ◽  
Georgios D. Kotzalidis ◽  
Anna Comparelli ◽  
Antonio Del Casale ◽  
...  

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Fleming ◽  
Austin T. Mudd ◽  
Jonas Hauser ◽  
Jian Yan ◽  
Sylviane Metairon ◽  
...  

Mounting evidence suggests that dietary oligosaccharides promote brain development. This study assessed the capacity of oligofructose (OF) alone or in combination with 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL) to alter recognition memory, structural brain development, and hippocampal gene expression. Beginning on postnatal day (PND) 2, male pigs received one of three milk replacers formulated to contain OF, OF + 2′-FL, or no oligosaccharides (CON). Pigs were tested on the novel object recognition task using delays of 1 or 48 h at PND 22. At PND 32–33, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures were used to assess structural brain development and hippocampal tissue was collected for analysis of mRNA expression. Pigs that consumed the OF diet demonstrated increased recognition memory after a 1 h delay, whereas those consuming diets containing OF + 2′-FL displayed increased recognition memory after a 48 h delay. Pigs fed OF or OF + 2′-FL exhibited a larger relative volume of the olfactory bulbs compared with CON pigs. Provision of OF or OF + 2′-FL altered gene expression related to dopaminergic, GABAergic, cholinergic, cell adhesion, and chromatin remodeling processes. Collectively, these data indicate that dietary OF and OF + 2′-FL differentially improve cognitive performance and affect olfactory bulb structural development and hippocampal gene expression.


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