Early Brain Networks Show Rapid Reorganization During Birth Transition

A new study reveals that the human brain undergoes significant region-specific changes in connectivity around birth, particularly in areas critical for sensory, motor, and information processing functions. These findings enhance our understanding of early neural development and lay the groundwork for future research on how environmental factors may influence this process.

Published in PLOS Biology | Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Brain Connectivity in Transition

Researchers from New York University School of Medicine used a large dataset of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans to model the developmental trajectories of brain networks in fetuses and newborns, spanning 25 to 55 weeks of gestational age. Their findings highlight distinct growth patterns across different brain regions during this critical period of human development.

The study analyzed 126 fetal and 58 infant scans from 140 subjects. While some brain regions showed minimal changes in resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC), others, like the subcortical network and sensorimotor network, underwent dramatic reorganization around birth. The subcortical network, acting as a central hub for information relay, demonstrated increased communication efficiency within its nodes, while the sensorimotor and parietal-frontal regions showed a gradual increase in global efficiency throughout the transition from fetus to neonate.

These findings emphasize the regional specificity of brain development and suggest that birth-triggered changes in connectivity are key to preparing the brain for life outside the womb. “This study for the first time documents the significant change of brain functional networks over the birth transition,” the authors wrote.

Looking Ahead

The research provides a foundation for future studies exploring how factors such as sex, prematurity, and prenatal adversity influence the timing and development of brain networks. Understanding these dynamics could lead to improved interventions for developmental disorders.

Glossary

  • Resting-State Functional Connectivity (RSFC): The correlation of brain activity between regions when no specific task is being performed.
  • Subcortical Network: A group of brain structures involved in relaying information to and from the cortex and mediating inter-cortical communication.
  • Global Efficiency: A measure of how efficiently information is transferred across the entire brain network.
  • Gestational Age: The age of a fetus or newborn calculated from the first day of the mother’s last menstrual period.
  • Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI): A technique for measuring brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow.

Quiz

What does the study focus on?

Answer: The development of brain functional networks during the birth transition.

Which brain network acts as a central hub for information relay?

Answer: The subcortical network.

What is RSFC?

Answer: Resting-State Functional Connectivity, the correlation of brain activity between regions when no specific task is being performed.

Which journal published the study?

Answer: PLOS Biology.


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