Coordinated Anatomical Growth of Motor, Sensory, and Visual Networks in Early Infancy

Weili Lin¹, Wei Gao¹, Feng Shi¹, Li Wang¹, Gang Li¹, Jingxin Nie¹, Hongtu Zhu¹, Dinggang Shen¹

It has been suggested that brain regions with similar functions may exhibit a similar growth trajectory, also known as coordinated brain growth. Using gray and white matter volume and cortical thickness growth trajectories during the first 18mons of life through a longitudinal imaging study of normal pediatric subjects, brain structural networks of motor, sensory and visual functions were discerned. Results are consistent with the known brain regions possessing these functions. The existence of coordinated brain anatomical growth in early infancy may offer an invaluable tool to explore maturation processes of higher order brain functional networks during early brain development.