Abstract
The human brain develops rapidly in the first postnatal year, in which rewired functional brain networks could shape later behavioral and cognitive performance. Resting-state functional magnetic resonances imaging (rs-fMRI) and complex network analysis have been widely used for characterizing the developmental brain functional connectome. Yet, such studies focusing on the first year of postnatal life are still very limited. Leveraging normally developing longitudinal infant rs-fMRI scans from neonate to one year of age, we investigated how brain functional networks develop at a fine temporal scale (every 3 months). Considering challenges in the infant fMRI-based network analysis, we developed a novel algorithm to construct the robust, temporally consistent and modular structure augmented group-level network based on which functional modules were detected at each age. Our study reveals that the brain functional network is gradually subdivided into an increasing number of functional modules accompanied by the strengthened intra- and inter-modular connectivities. Based on the developing modules, we found connector hubs (the high-centrality regions connecting different modules) emerging and increasing, while provincial hubs (the high-centrality regions connecting regions in the same module) diminishing. Further region-wise longitudinal analysis validates that different hubs have distinct developmental trajectories of the intra- and inter-modular connections suggesting different types of role transitions in network, such as non-hubs to hubs or provincial hubs to connector hubs et al. All findings indicate that functional segregation and integration are both increased in the first year of postnatal life. The module reorganization and hub transition lead to more efficient brain networks, featuring increasingly segregated modular structure and more connector hubs. This study provides the first comprehensive report of the development of functional brain networks at a 3-month interval throughout the first postnatal year of life, which provides essential information to the future neurodevelopmental and developmental disorder studies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 222-235 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | NeuroImage |
| Volume | 185 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2019 Jan 15 |
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Keywords
- Brain development
- Functional brain network
- Hub
- Infant
- Module
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neurology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Cite this
First-year development of modules and hubs in infant brain functional networks. / Wen, Xuyun; Zhang, Han; Li, Gang; Liu, Mingxia; Yin, Weiyan; Lin, Weili; Zhang, Jun; Shen, Dinggang.
In: NeuroImage, Vol. 185, 15.01.2019, p. 222-235.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - First-year development of modules and hubs in infant brain functional networks
AU - Wen, Xuyun
AU - Zhang, Han
AU - Li, Gang
AU - Liu, Mingxia
AU - Yin, Weiyan
AU - Lin, Weili
AU - Zhang, Jun
AU - Shen, Dinggang
PY - 2019/1/15
Y1 - 2019/1/15
N2 - The human brain develops rapidly in the first postnatal year, in which rewired functional brain networks could shape later behavioral and cognitive performance. Resting-state functional magnetic resonances imaging (rs-fMRI) and complex network analysis have been widely used for characterizing the developmental brain functional connectome. Yet, such studies focusing on the first year of postnatal life are still very limited. Leveraging normally developing longitudinal infant rs-fMRI scans from neonate to one year of age, we investigated how brain functional networks develop at a fine temporal scale (every 3 months). Considering challenges in the infant fMRI-based network analysis, we developed a novel algorithm to construct the robust, temporally consistent and modular structure augmented group-level network based on which functional modules were detected at each age. Our study reveals that the brain functional network is gradually subdivided into an increasing number of functional modules accompanied by the strengthened intra- and inter-modular connectivities. Based on the developing modules, we found connector hubs (the high-centrality regions connecting different modules) emerging and increasing, while provincial hubs (the high-centrality regions connecting regions in the same module) diminishing. Further region-wise longitudinal analysis validates that different hubs have distinct developmental trajectories of the intra- and inter-modular connections suggesting different types of role transitions in network, such as non-hubs to hubs or provincial hubs to connector hubs et al. All findings indicate that functional segregation and integration are both increased in the first year of postnatal life. The module reorganization and hub transition lead to more efficient brain networks, featuring increasingly segregated modular structure and more connector hubs. This study provides the first comprehensive report of the development of functional brain networks at a 3-month interval throughout the first postnatal year of life, which provides essential information to the future neurodevelopmental and developmental disorder studies.
AB - The human brain develops rapidly in the first postnatal year, in which rewired functional brain networks could shape later behavioral and cognitive performance. Resting-state functional magnetic resonances imaging (rs-fMRI) and complex network analysis have been widely used for characterizing the developmental brain functional connectome. Yet, such studies focusing on the first year of postnatal life are still very limited. Leveraging normally developing longitudinal infant rs-fMRI scans from neonate to one year of age, we investigated how brain functional networks develop at a fine temporal scale (every 3 months). Considering challenges in the infant fMRI-based network analysis, we developed a novel algorithm to construct the robust, temporally consistent and modular structure augmented group-level network based on which functional modules were detected at each age. Our study reveals that the brain functional network is gradually subdivided into an increasing number of functional modules accompanied by the strengthened intra- and inter-modular connectivities. Based on the developing modules, we found connector hubs (the high-centrality regions connecting different modules) emerging and increasing, while provincial hubs (the high-centrality regions connecting regions in the same module) diminishing. Further region-wise longitudinal analysis validates that different hubs have distinct developmental trajectories of the intra- and inter-modular connections suggesting different types of role transitions in network, such as non-hubs to hubs or provincial hubs to connector hubs et al. All findings indicate that functional segregation and integration are both increased in the first year of postnatal life. The module reorganization and hub transition lead to more efficient brain networks, featuring increasingly segregated modular structure and more connector hubs. This study provides the first comprehensive report of the development of functional brain networks at a 3-month interval throughout the first postnatal year of life, which provides essential information to the future neurodevelopmental and developmental disorder studies.
KW - Brain development
KW - Functional brain network
KW - Hub
KW - Infant
KW - Module
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055324880&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85055324880&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.10.019
DO - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.10.019
M3 - Article
C2 - 30315911
AN - SCOPUS:85055324880
VL - 185
SP - 222
EP - 235
JO - NeuroImage
JF - NeuroImage
SN - 1053-8119
ER -