Small-World Brain Networks in Resting State in Typically Developing Children and Adolescents

Minjie Wu¹, Alexander Kmicikewycz¹, Donatello Arienzo¹, Lisa Lu¹, ², Shaolin Yang¹, Mani Pavuluri¹

Combining rs-fcMRI and graph theory analyses, this study aims to quantitatively characterize the organizational change of functional brain networks in normal development during childhood and adolescence. No significant correlation was found between age and global network metrices (small-worldness or global efficiency). Significant age-related changes were found in local efficiency and degree at node level at right lingual gyrus, left medial orbitofrontal area, pericalcarine, anterior cingulate gyri. These age-related changes in node-level metrices but not global metrices may suggest topological fine tuning of resting state brain networks in children and adolescents.