Resting-state networks in the infant brain

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Sep 25;104(39):15531-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0704380104. Epub 2007 Sep 18.

Abstract

In the absence of any overt task performance, it has been shown that spontaneous, intrinsic brain activity is expressed as systemwide, resting-state networks in the adult brain. However, the route to adult patterns of resting-state activity through neuronal development in the human brain is currently unknown. Therefore, we used functional MRI to map patterns of resting-state activity in infants during sleep. We found five unique resting-states networks in the infant brain that encompassed the primary visual cortex, bilateral sensorimotor areas, bilateral auditory cortex, a network including the precuneus area, lateral parietal cortex, and the cerebellum as well as an anterior network that incorporated the medial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that resting-state networks driven by spontaneous signal fluctuations are present already in the infant brain. The potential link between the emergence of behavior and patterns of resting-state activity in the infant brain is discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior
  • Brain / growth & development*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Brain Mapping / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Infant
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Models, Neurological
  • Rest