title: Correlations between brain structures and study time at home in healthy children: a longitudinal analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Like sleeping and eating habits, the study habits adopted by children when they are at home are important contributors to lifestyle and they affect cognitive ability. It has recently been reported that sleeping and eating habits change the brain structure of children. However, no research on the effect of study habits at home on the brain structure of children has been conducted thus far. We investigated the effects of study habits at home on the brain structures of healthy children by examining correlations between study time at home and changes in brain structure over the course of 3 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the brain magnetic resonance images of 229 healthy children aged 5.6-18.4 years and computed the changes (time 2-time 1) in regional gray matter and white matter volume (rWMV) using voxel-based morphometry. Whole-brain multiple regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between study time at home and changes in rWMV in the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG). Behaviorally, we found a significant positive correlation between study time at home and change in the verbal comprehension index (VCI), one of the subscales of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-third edition (WISC-III).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given that the SFG is involved in memory control and that the VCI measures abilities related to vocabulary, our results indicate that greater SFG involvement in the memorization component of longer study times may result in greater increases in the number of axons and more axon branching and myelination, causing plastic changes in the neural network involved in memory processes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan ; Department of Nuclear Medicine & Radiology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan ; Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taki
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hashizume
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Hikaru
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan ; Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thyreau
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sassa
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan ; Smart Ageing International Research Centre, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan ; Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kawashima
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007807:Language Tests; D007858:Learning; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013997:Time Factors; D066127:White Matter / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development
keywords: Children; study time at home; verbal; white matter volume