Individual differences in T1w/T2w ratio development during childhood

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Chronological age was positively associated with cortical T1w/T2w ratios in visual (p_FDR=0.034), somatosensory (p_FDR=0.034), and ventral attention (p_FDR=0.034) systems, whereas SES, cognition, and molar eruption were not.

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Healthy, neurotypical childhood cortical development (n=157). Intervention: Chronological age, socioeconomic status, cognitive performance, and molar eruption status. Primary outcome: Cortical T1-weighted/T2-weighted (T1w/T2w) MRI signal ratio (t = 2.78, partial eta-squared = 0.048 (somatosensory system age association), p=0.006 (p_FDR = 0.034)).

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Chronological age is positively associated with cortical T1w/T2w ratios in early-developing sensorimotor and visual systems during childhood, whereas socioeconomic status, cognition, and molar eruption show no significant associations. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONFIRMATORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Austin L. Boroshok; Cassidy L. McDermott; Panagiotis Fotiadis; Anne T. Park; Ursula A. Tooley; Mārtiņš M. Gataviņš; M. Dylan Tisdall; Dani S. Bassett; Allyson P. Mackey

doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101270

June 16, 2023Developmental Cognitive NeuroscienceOpen Access

Individual differences in T1w/T2w ratio development during childhood

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Key result

Older chronological age is linked to higher cortical T1w/T2w ratios across sensory and attention networks.

t = 2.78, partial eta-squared = 0.048 (somatosensory system age association)
P=0.006 (p_FDR = 0.034)
n=157

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Why the study?

Characterizing individual differences in neuroplasticity using T1w/T2w MRI signal ratio may shed light on mechanisms by which early experiences shape development and response to interventions.

Are chronological age, socioeconomic status, cognitive ability, and biological maturation (molar eruption) associated with cortical T1w/T2w MRI signal ratios in children aged 4 to 10 years?

Key Points

To investigate individual differences in cortical T1w/T2w MRI ratios during childhood and assess potential associations with chronological age, socioeconomic status, cognitive performance, and biological maturation.
Analyzed pre-registered cross-sectional MRI and behavioral data from healthy children (ages 4–10, n = 157).
Assessed whole-brain and 7-system cortical T1w/T2w signal ratios alongside socioeconomic status (parental education and family income), cognition (WPPSI-IV Matrix Reasoning and Information subtests), and biological maturation (permanent molar eruption).
T1w/T2w ratios showed significant positive associations with age in primary visual and sensorimotor cortices, surviving FDR correction in visual (t = 2.61, p = 0.009, p FDR = 0.034, ηp² = 0.007), somatosensory (t = 2.78, p = 0.006, p FDR = 0.034, ηp² = 0.048), and ventral attention (t = 2.47, p = 0.014, p FDR = 0.034, ηp² = 0.038) systems.
Frontoparietal (t = 2.00, p = 0.047, p FDR = 0.072, ηp² = 0.026) and default mode (t = 2.02, p = 0.045, p FDR = 0.066, ηp² = 0.025) age effects did not survive FDR correction.
No significant associations were observed across the whole brain or within cortical systems between T1w/T2w ratios and parental education, family income, cognitive scores, or permanent molar eruption status.

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=157)

Multicenter

No

Structured PICO

Are chronological age, socioeconomic status, cognitive ability, and biological maturation (molar eruption) associated with cortical T1w/T2w MRI signal ratios in children aged 4 to 10 years?

P

Population

157 healthy, neurotypical children aged 4 to 10 years (mean age 6.31 years, 46% female) from the greater Philadelphia area evaluated cross-sectionally with structural brain MRI.

E

Exposure

Exposures assessed: chronological age (n=157), socioeconomic status via annual family income (n=147) and average parental education (n=154), cognitive performance via WPPSI-IV Matrix Reasoning (n=128) and Information (n=127) subtests, and biological maturation via permanent molar eruption status on T2w MRI (n=106).

O

Outcome

Cortical T1-weighted/T2-weighted (T1w/T2w) MRI signal ratio (proxy measure of cortical microstructure and myelination) across the whole brain (cluster-corrected at p < 0.05) and within the seven Yeo cortical systems.surrogate

Main Result

Effect estimate: t = 2.78, partial eta-squared = 0.048 (somatosensory system age association)

p-value: p=0.006 (p_FDR = 0.034)

In children aged 4 to 10 years, cortical myelination proxy measures (T1w/T2w ratios) increase significantly with chronological age in early-developing sensorimotor, visual, and ventral attention networks, whereas associations with socioeconomic status, cognitive performance, and dental maturation are not detectable at this sample size and developmental stage.

Limitations

Moderate sample size likely underpowered to detect smaller whole-brain associations with SES, cognition, or molar eruption
Cross-sectional design precludes causal inference or assessment of intra-individual longitudinal changes
T1w/T2w ratio is an indirect proxy for cortical myelination and is also sensitive to iron, water concentration, axonal diameter, and dendrite density
Insufficient usable saliva samples due to COVID-19 interruptions and high mucus content prevented planned pubertal hormone analyses
Sample size is smaller than previous studies of cortical microstructure and likely underpowered to detect small whole-brain effects
Cross-sectional design prevents inferences about directionality and intra-individual developmental trajectories
T1w/T2w ratio is an indirect proxy for cortical myelin and may reflect iron, water concentration, axonal diameter, or dendrite density
Planned salivary pubertal hormone analyses (DHEA, DHEA-S, testosterone) could not be completed due to COVID-19 data collection interruptions and insufficient usable sample sizes

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Implication

T1w/T2w ratios increase with age in primary networks by mid-childhood; extends developmental timelines while leaving open independent SES or maturation effects.

Abstract

Myelination is a key developmental process that promotes rapid and efficient information transfer. Myelin also stabilizes existing brain networks and thus may constrain neuroplasticity, defined here as the brain's potential to change in response to experiences rather than the canonical definition as the process of change. Characterizing individual differences in neuroplasticity may shed light on mechanisms by which early experiences shape learning, brain and body development, and response to interventions. The T1-weighted/T2-weighted (T1w/T2w) MRI signal ratio is a proxy measure of cortical microstructure and thus neuroplasticity. Here, in pre-registered analyses, we investigated individual differences in T1w/T2w ratios in children (ages 4-10, n = 157). T1w/T2w ratios were positively associated with age within early-developing sensorimotor and attention regions. We also tested whether socioeconomic status, cognition (crystallized knowledge or fluid reasoning), and biological age (as measured with molar eruption) were related to T1w/T2w signal but found no significant effects. Associations among T1w/T2w ratios, early experiences, and cognition may emerge later in adolescence and may not be strong enough to detect in moderate sample sizes.

Discussion

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Cite This Study

Boroshok et al. (2023) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy, neurotypical childhood cortical development (n=157). Chronological age, socioeconomic status, cognitive performance, and molar eruption status was evaluated on Cortical T1-weighted/T2-weighted (T1w/T2w) MRI signal ratio (t = 2.78, partial eta-squared = 0.048 (somatosensory system age association), p=0.006 (p_FDR = 0.034)). Chronological age was positively associated with cortical T1w/T2w ratios in visual (p_FDR=0.034), somatosensory (p_FDR=0.034), and ventral attention (p_FDR=0.034) systems, whereas SES, cognition, and molar eruption were not.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a75b21d3c1d3f13c2dd9323 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101270

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Individual differences in T1w/T2w ratio development during childhood

Figures

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Individual differences in T1w/T2w ratio development during childhood

Figures

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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