Dynamic mapping of human cortical development during childhood through early adulthood

Abstract

We report the dynamic anatomical sequence of human cortical gray matter development between the age of 4-21 years using quantitative four-dimensional maps and time-lapse sequences. Thirteen healthy children for whom anatomic brain MRI scans were obtained every 2 years, for 8-10 years, were studied. By using models of the cortical surface and sulcal landmarks and a statistical model for gray matter density, human cortical development could be visualized across the age range in a spatiotemporally detailed time-lapse sequence. The resulting time-lapse "movies" reveal that (i) higher-order association cortices mature only after lower-order somatosensory and visual cortices, the functions of which they integrate, are developed, and (ii) phylogenetically older brain areas mature earlier than newer ones. Direct comparison with normal cortical development may help understanding of some neurodevelopmental disorders such as childhood-onset schizophrenia or autism.

Fig. 1.

Mixed-model regression plots at regions of interest over the cortical surface. The following regions were selected for analyses in each hemisphere: A, precentral gyrus and primary motor cortex; B, superior frontal gyrus, posterior end near central sulcus; C, inferior frontal gyrus, posterior end; D, inferior frontal sulcus, anterior end in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex; E, inferior frontal sulcus in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; F, anterior limit of superior frontal sulcus; G, frontal pole; H, primary sensory cortex in postcentral gyrus; I, supramarginal gyrus (area 40); J, angular gyrus (area 39); K, occipital pole; L–N, anterior, middle, and posterior portions of STG; O–Q, anterior, middle, and posterior points along the inferior temporal gyrus anterior end. All quadratic, cubic, or linear terms were significant with P < 0.05. Age of peak GM is shown for B–D, I, and J. x-axis values are ages in years, and y-axis values show GM volumes.

Fig. 2.

Bottom view of the brain showing early and late time-lapse images. Points correspond to anterior and posterior ends of the olfactory sulcus (R and S) and collateral sulcus (T and U), and mixed-model graphs corresponding to the regions of interest on the right hemisphere are shown in the middle. x-axis values show ages in years, and y-axis values show GM volumes.

Fig. 3.

Right lateral and top views of the dynamic sequence of GM maturation over the cortical surface. The side bar shows a color representation in units of GM volume. The initial frames depict regions of interest in the cortex as described for Fig. 1. This sequence is available in Movies 1–4 in the supporting information.