Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: A century ago, Brodmann suggested that local cortical microarchitecture dictates function, yet modern structure-function mapping overwhelmingly focuses on white matter macroarchitecture. Here, we reframe structure-function coupling by linking gray matter microarchitecture and macroscale connectomics, demonstrating how gray matter cellular and neurite density are linked to functional network organization in preadolescents. By applying partial least squares correlation to cortical microarchitecture (i.e., cellular and neurite density) estimates from diffusion MRI and network connectivity estimates from functional MRI, in 6,320 children ages 9-11 years from the U.S.-wide Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, we identified several principles of structure-function coupling. First, we found that functional connectivity is associated with one dominant and global pattern of cellular density differences explaining nearly 80% of shared variance, but by several patterns of neurite density differences. Second, we found similar gradients of sensorimotor network connectivity related to this dominant cellular density pattern and the secondary, rostro-caudal neurite density pattern (explaining 17% of shared variance). Third, we found a profile of attention network connectivity associated with the primary neurite density pattern (44% of shared variance) and the secondary, rostro-caudal cellular density pattern (5% of shared variance). Altogether, this work suggests that cellular density (i.e., neuronal cell bodies, support cells) across cortex largely supports a sensorimotor network connectivity gradient. Conversely, there are several connectivity-related patterns of neurite density (i.e., axons, dendrites) across cortex, providing a glimpse into how local neurite connectivity may differentially support long-range functional connectivity of sensorimotor networks and attention networks.
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: Urban air pollution and neurobehavioral trajectories in the ABCD study, ABCD Workshop on Brain Development in Relation to Mental Health, Modeling Developmental Change in the ABCD Study: Longitudinal Analyses for Clinical Outcomes, G6954369743, A Longitudinal Mentoring Approach to Increase Diversity Among Researchers of Neurological Disorders, The role of air pollution in emotional neurodevelopment and risk for psychiatric disorders, 9/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT U MICHIGAN, 20/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT VCU, 3/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT U MINNESOTA, 4/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT FIU, 7/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT YALE, 17/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT UCLA, 15/21 ABCD-USA Consortium: Research Project Site at LIBR, 16/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER, BRAINS: Broadening the Representation of Academic Investigators in NeuroSciences - A national program to increase the advancement of neuroscience researchers from diverse backgrounds, 8/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT CHLA, ABCD-USA Consortium: Coordinating Center, Neuroscience Scholars Program (NSP): Preparing the Next Generation of Neuroscience Leaders, 6/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT OHSU, 10/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT SRI, 12/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT U PITTSBURGH, 19/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT UVM, 1/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT U UTAH, 11/21 ABCD-USA Consortium: Research Project Site at UWM, ABCD-USA Consortium: Data Analysis, Informatics and Resource Center, 21/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT WUSTL, 13/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT MUSC, 5/21 ABCD-USA Consortium: Research Project Site at UC San Diego, 18/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, 2/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT UMB, 14/21 ABCD-USA Consortium: Research Project Site at CU Boulder
OpenAlex ID: W7212319920