title: Functional Connectivity of the Dorsal Attention Network Predicts Selective Attention in 4-7 year-old Girls.
abstract: Early childhood is a period of profound neural development and remodeling during which attention skills undergo rapid maturation. Attention networks have been extensively studied in the adult brain, yet relatively little is known about changes in early childhood, and their relation to cognitive development. We investigated the association between age and functional connectivity (FC) within the dorsal attention network (DAN) and the association between FC and attention skills in early childhood. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data was collected during passive viewing in 44 typically developing female children between 4 and 7 years whose sustained, selective, and executive attention skills were assessed. FC of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the frontal eye fields (FEF) was computed across the entire brain and regressed against age. Age was positively associated with FC between core nodes of the DAN, the IPS and the FEF, and negatively associated with FC between the DAN and regions of the default-mode network. Further, controlling for age, FC between the IPS and FEF was significantly associated with selective attention. These findings add to our understanding of early childhood development of attention networks and suggest that greater FC within the DAN is associated with better selective attention skills.
authors: Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.|Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3B 6A8.|Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3B 6A8.
authors: Christiane S
authors: CS
authors: Rohr
authors: Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.|Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3B 6A8.|Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3B 6A8.|Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.
authors: Sarah A
authors: SA
authors: Vinette
authors: Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3B 6A8.|Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3B 6A8.|Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.
authors: Kari A L
authors: KAL
authors: Parsons
authors: Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.|Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3B 6A8.|Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3B 6A8.|Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.
authors: Ivy Y K
authors: IYK
authors: Cho
authors: Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3B 6A8.|Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3B 6A8.|Department of Neuroscience, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.
authors: Dennis
authors: D
authors: Dimond
authors: Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3B 6A8.|Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3B 6A8.
authors: Alina
authors: A
authors: Benischek
authors: Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.|Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3B 6A8.|Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3B 6A8.
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Lebel
authors: Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3B 6A8.|Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.|Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4Z6.
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Dewey
authors: Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.|Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3B 6A8.|Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3B 6A8.|Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.
authors: Signe
authors: S
authors: Bray
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology
keywords: attention children; dorsal attention network; early childhood; fMRI; functional connectivity; selective attention; sustained attention