title: Changes in white matter microstructure in the developing brain--A longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study of children from 4 to 11years of age.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to detail the childhood developmental course of different white matter (WM) characteristics. In a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study of 159 healthy children between 4 and 11years scanned twice, we used tract-based spatial statistics as well as delineation of 15 major WM tracts to characterize the regional pattern of change in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean (MD), radial (RD) and axial diffusivity (AD). We tested whether there were decelerations of change with increasing age globally and tract-wise, and also illustrated change along medial-to-lateral, posterior-to-anterior and inferior-to-superior gradients. We found a significant linear increase in global FA, and decrease in MD and RD over time. For mean AD, a weak decrease was observed. The developmental changes in specific WM tracts showed regional differences. Eight WM tracts showed non-linear development patterns for one or several DTI metrics, with a deceleration in change with age. Sex did not affect change in any DTI metric. Overall, greater rate of change was found in the left hemisphere. Spatially, there was a posterior-to-anterior gradient of change with greater change in frontal regions for all metrics. The current study provides a comprehensive characterization of the regional patters of change in WM microstructure across pre-adolescence childhood.
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: s.k.krogsrud@psykologi.uio.no.
authors.forename: Stine K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Krogsrud
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Unit of Neuropsychology, Oslo University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Anders M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fjell
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Christian K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Tamnes
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Håkon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grydeland
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Lia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mork
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Radiology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Due-Tønnessen
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; The Interventional Centre, Rikshospitalet, Oslo University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Atle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bjørnerud
authors.affiliation: The Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Cassandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sampaio-Baptista
authors.affiliation: The Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: The Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Johansen-Berg
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Unit of Neuropsychology, Oslo University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Kristine B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Walhovd
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D066127:White Matter / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development*
keywords: Children; DTI; Development; Longitudinal; MRI; White matter maturation