Cited by 701Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and ApplicationsNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesFunctional Brain Connectivity Studies

Development of cortical and subcortical brain structures in childhood and adolescence: a structural MRI study

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Sowell, Elizabeth R, Trauner, Doris A, Gamst, Anthony, Jernigan, Terry L·2002·Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to describe in greater anatomical detail the changes in brain structure that occur during maturation between childhood and adolescence. High-resolution MRI, tissue classification, and anatomical segmentation of cortical and subcortical regions were used in a sample of 35 normally developing children and adolescents between 7 and 16 years of age (mean age 11 years; 20 males, 15 females). Each cortical and subcortical measure was examined for age and sex effects on raw volumes and on the measures as proportions of total supratentorial cranial volume. Results indicate age-related increases in total supratentorial cranial volume and raw and proportional increases in total cerebral white matter. Gray-matter volume reductions were only observed once variance in total brain size was proportionally controlled. The change in total cerebral white-matter proportion was significantly greater than the change in total cerebral gray-matter proportion over this age range, suggesting that the relative gray-matter reduction is probably due to significant increases in white matter. Total raw cerebral CSF volume increases were also observed. Within the cerebrum, regional patterns varied depending on the tissue (or CSF) assessed. Only frontal and parietal cortices showed changes in gray matter, white matter, and CSF measures. Once the approximately 7% larger brain volume in males was controlled, only mesial temporal cortex, caudate, thalamus, and basomesial diencephalic structures showed sex effects with the females having greater relative volumes in these regions than the males. Overall, these results are consistent with earlier reports and describe in greater detail the regional pattern of age-related differences in gray and white matter in normally developing children and adolescents.

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Crossref · 10.1017/s0012162201001591

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  • Frontal lobe capacity for internally guided behavior, working memory, and organizational skills does not reach full adult functional capacity until mid to late adolescence.

    “the frontal lobe capacity for internally guided behavior, working memory, and organizational skills do not reach full adult functional capacity until mid to late adolescence.8, 9, 10, 11, 12”

    From A role for synaptic plasticity in the adolescent development of executive function (2013) · cites this paper as [8]

    The Discussion (page not specified in our copy) reports frontal-lobe structural changes during childhood and adolescence and links frontal maturation to improvement in verbal learning and organization. It does not establish when internally guided behavior or working memory reaches full adult functional capacity, or place that threshold in mid-to-late adolescence. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Changing cortical volumes over the adolescent age range are most prominent in the frontal and parietal lobes.

    “Interestingly, changing cortical volumes over this age range are most prominent in the frontal and parietal lobes.8, 58, 59”
  • The unique circuitry recruited by adolescents may be associated with known structural immaturities, including continued gray matter thinning of the basal ganglia and OFC and increases in dopamine transmission.

    “The unique circuitry recruited by adolescents may be associated with the known structural immaturities including continued gray matter thinning of the basal ganglia (Sowell et al., 2002) and OFC (Gogtay et al., 2004), and increases in dopamine transmission (Kalsbeek et al., 1988; Meng et al., 1999; Rosenberg & Lewis, 1994; Rosenberg & Lewis, 1995; Seeman et al., 1987).”
  • Portions of parietal and prefrontal cortex are among the latest developing brain regions.

    “Among the latest developing regions are portions of parietal and pFC (Sowell et al., 2004;Sowell, Trauner, Gamst, & Jernigan, 2002;Paus et al., 2001;Giedd et al., 1999;Jernigan, Trauner, Hesselink, & Tallal, 1991)”
  • Structural MRI studies show gradual increases in white matter volume and apparent cortical thinning during childhood and adolescence.

    “Structural MRI studies have revealed gradual increases of white matter volume and apparent thinning of cortex during childhood and adolescence.”

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Yakovlev PI, Lecours AR. (1967) The myelogenetic cycles of regional maturation of the brain. In: Minkowski A, editor. Regional Development of the Brain in Early Life. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific. p 3-70

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Authors
Sowell, E. R., Trauner, D. A., Gamst, A., & Jernigan, T. L.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Los Angeles (US)
  • University of California San Diego (US)
Venue
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2002-01-24
Volume
44
Issue
01
Pages
4
ISSN
  • 0012-1622 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8749
OpenAlex
W2164760908
Cited by
701
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 40 · 2014: 44 · 2013: 63 · 2012: 46
FWCI
15.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • National Institutes of Health (5r01hd023854-07, 1p01dc001289-01, NS22343, P50 NS22343)
  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (P01 DC01289)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (P50 NS 22343, P50NS022343)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01 HD 23854)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Keywords
brain maturation, childhood, adolescence, cortical development, subcortical structures, gray matter volume, white matter volume, cerebrospinal fluid volume, sex differences, frontal cortex, parietal cortex, caudate nucleus, thalamus, diencephalon, brain tissue classification
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Age Factors, Brain, Cerebral Cortex, Child, Child Development, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male

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