Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The cerebellum makes a critical contribution to cognitive and behavioural function, extending well beyond motor control, and is recognised as an important determinant of neurodevelopmental outcome. Despite this, little is known about the foundations of cerebellar functional organisation in early life. Addressing this gap is essential for establishing typical developmental trajectories against which atypical development can be assessed. Here, we analysed fMRI data from term-born neonates (n=155) scanned between 37 and 44 weeks postmenstrual age and mapped intra-cerebellar and cerebro-cerebellar functional connectivity across multiple levels of organisation. We identified 13 intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) within the neonatal cerebellum that recapitulated adult subdivisions, with two ICNs showing age-related increases in coverage and strength. Analysis of cerebro-cerebellar connectivity identified 15 sensory, motor and association cerebral clusters, seven increasing connectivity with age. Functional gradient analysis identified a continuous axis from somatomotor to association regions within intra-cerebellar and cerebro-cerebellar organisation, which became more pronounced with age. Together, these findings suggest that the foundations of adult cerebellar functional organisation are present at birth but undergo rapid and regionally heterogeneous maturation over the first weeks of postnatal life. This developmental framework provides a normative reference for understanding cerebellar development and its implications for later neurodevelopmental variation.
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: Wellcome Trust, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Department of Health and Social Care, King's College London, European Commission, King's Health Partners, China Scholarship Council, Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, Medical Research Council, European Research Council
Awards: G1073258374, G1093531541, G1114913786, G1307489074, G1498739278, Exploration of cortical structure and function in human infancy with advanced MRI methods, G236063110, G2473961061, G2624696309, Organization and dynamics of multiregional circuits for goal-directed behaviour, MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, G4345436876, European Autism Interventions - A Multicentre Study for Developing New Medications, Organization and dynamics of multiregional circuits for goal-directed behaviour, G5537678747, G5543596241, G60524263, G6262202302, Autism Innovative Medicine Studies – 2 – Trials, G6585873103, G6733629873, G8048453011
OpenAlex ID: W7223466024