Development of top-down cortical propagations in youth

Neuron. 2023 Apr 19;111(8):1316-1330.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.01.014. Epub 2023 Feb 17.

Abstract

Hierarchical processing requires activity propagating between higher- and lower-order cortical areas. However, functional neuroimaging studies have chiefly quantified fluctuations within regions over time rather than propagations occurring over space. Here, we leverage advances in neuroimaging and computer vision to track cortical activity propagations in a large sample of youth (n = 388). We delineate cortical propagations that systematically ascend and descend a cortical hierarchy in all individuals in our developmental cohort, as well as in an independent dataset of densely sampled adults. Further, we demonstrate that top-down, descending hierarchical propagations become more prevalent with greater demands for cognitive control as well as with development in youth. These findings emphasize that hierarchical processing is reflected in the directionality of propagating cortical activity and suggest top-down propagations as a potential mechanism of neurocognitive maturation in youth.

Keywords: adolescence; cognitive control; computer vision; fMRI; functional imaging; hierarchy; infraslow; neurodevelopment; optical flow; propagations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Development*
  • Adult
  • Cerebral Cortex* / diagnostic imaging
  • Cerebral Cortex* / physiology
  • Child
  • Child Development*
  • Cognition / physiology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Datasets as Topic
  • Female
  • Functional Neuroimaging* / methods
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Optic Flow
  • Young Adult