Developmental pattern of individual morphometric similarity network in the human fetal brain

The fetal brain morphological network is important for us to understand early brain organization but has not characterized previously. In the study, we constructed fetal individual morphometric similarity networks using multiple cortical features based on in utero MRI data. The results demonstrated the decline of morphological symmetry between hemispheres during development. The morphological similarity between the limbic regions and other regions significantly increased while the similarity between the parieto-occipital regions and other regions significantly decreased. Small world organizations appeared as early as 22 weeks, and the network topology developed towards more integrated and less segregated during fetal period.