Topological organization of functional brain networks in healthy children: differences in relation to age, sex, and intelligence

PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e55347. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055347. Epub 2013 Feb 4.

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated developmental changes of functional brain networks derived from functional connectivity using graph theoretical analysis, which has been rapidly translated to studies of brain network organization. However, little is known about sex- and IQ-related differences in the topological organization of functional brain networks during development. In this study, resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) was used to map the functional brain networks in 51 healthy children. We then investigated the effects of age, sex, and IQ on economic small-world properties and regional nodal properties of the functional brain networks. At a global level of whole networks, we found significant age-related increases in the small-worldness and local efficiency, significant higher values of the global efficiency in boys compared with girls, and no significant IQ-related difference. Age-related increases in the regional nodal properties were found predominately in the frontal brain regions, whereas the parietal, temporal, and occipital brain regions showed age-related decreases. Significant sex-related differences in the regional nodal properties were found in various brain regions, primarily related to the default mode, language, and vision systems. Positive correlations between IQ and the regional nodal properties were found in several brain regions related to the attention system, whereas negative correlations were found in various brain regions primarily involved in the default mode, emotion, and language systems. Together, our findings of the network topology of the functional brain networks in healthy children and its relationship with age, sex, and IQ bring new insights into the understanding of brain maturation and cognitive development during childhood and adolescence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Factors
  • Brain / anatomy & histology*
  • Brain / growth & development
  • Brain / physiology
  • Brain Mapping
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cognition / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intelligence / physiology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Models, Neurological
  • Nerve Net / anatomy & histology*
  • Nerve Net / growth & development
  • Nerve Net / physiology
  • Neural Pathways / anatomy & histology*
  • Neural Pathways / growth & development
  • Neural Pathways / physiology
  • Sex Factors

Grants and funding

This study was supported by grants-in-aid from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (20790875, 24103701, and 23240056) and the 2007 Tohoku University Global COE Program “Global Nano-Biomedical Engineering Education and Research Network Centre”. This study was also supported by Guangdong Natural Science Foundation (S2012040007743), China. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.