The developing relations between networks of cortical myelin and neurophysiological connectivity
Marlee M. Vandewouw,
Benjamin A.E. Hunt,
Justine Ziolkowski,
Margot J. Taylor
Affiliations
Marlee M. Vandewouw
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto M5G 0A4, Canada; Autism Research Centre, Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON M4G 1R8, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3G9, Canada; Corresponding author at: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada.
Benjamin A.E. Hunt
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto M5G 0A4, Canada
Justine Ziolkowski
Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto M5G 0A4, Canada
Margot J. Taylor
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto M5G 0A4 Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto M5G 0A4, Canada
Recent work identified that patterns of distributed brain regions sharing similar myeloarchitecture are related to underlying functional connectivity, demonstrating cortical myelin's plasticity to changes in functional demand. However, the changing relations between functional and structural architecture throughout child and adulthood are poorly understood. We show that structural covariance connectivity (T1-weighted/T2-weighted ratio) and functional connectivity (magnetoencephalography) exhibit nonlinear developmental changes. We then show significant relations between structural and functional connectivity, which have shared and distinct characteristics dependent on the neural oscillatory frequency. Increases in structure-function coupling are visible during the protracted myelination observed throughout childhood and adolescence and are followed by decreases near the onset of adulthood. Our work lays the foundation for understanding the mechanisms by which myeloarchitecture supports brain function, enabling future investigations into how clinical populations may deviate from normative patterns.
