{ "abstract": "Brain anatomical architecture supports its functional activity and complex cognitive processes. However, how the structure–function (SF) relationship establishes and develops during early life, as well as its underlying mechanisms, remain largely unclear. To address these questions, we leveraged multimodal MRI data from two large-scale public databases, the developing Human Connectome Project (dHCP) and the Baby Connectome Project (BCP), to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of SF coupling from the perinatal period to toddlerhood. Our results revealed that SF coupling at birth exhibited a spatial variation along the sensorimotor-association cortical axis. During the perinatal period (26–44 postmenstrual weeks), SF coupling strengthened drastically and followed three distinct developmental trajectories across the cortex, with sensorimotor and visual areas showing the fastest growth and the earliest plateau. After birth, SF coupling shifted toward a weakening pattern across the cortex during infancy and toddlerhood (1–28 months). These developmental changes of SF coupling were more strongly associated with the maturation of functional connectivity, which first converged toward the local structural architecture prenatally and then diverged postnatally through the expansion of global inter-modular pathways. Furthermore, SF coupling at birth, the developmental transition point, exhibited a significant association with individual differences in cognition and language outcomes at 18 months of age. Collectively, these findings offer valuable insights into the organizational principles underlying structural and functional network development during early life as well as the complex evolving relationship between them.\n\nHow do the brain’s anatomical architecture and functional activity patterns become established during early life? This study characterizes the brain’s developmental changes from the perinatal period to toddlerhood, offering insights into the organization of structural and functional networks and cognitive development.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China", "Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Children and Adolescents’ Health and Diseases, Hangzhou, China", "Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China", "Key Laboratory of Intelligent Medical Imaging of Wenzhou, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China" ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 9, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Ruoke Zhao" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Mingyang Li" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Yuqi Zhang" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Ruike Chen" }, { "name": "Chenglin Ning" }, { "name": "Zhiyong Zhao" }, { "name": "Zhihan Yan" }, { "name": "Meihao Wang" }, { "name": "Dan Wu" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e3h5ywve8mdtr.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.pbio.3003927", "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003927", "id": "e3h5ywve8mdtr", "issns": [ "1545-7885" ], "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003927", "language": null, "licence": "CC-BY-4.0", "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0", "licence_source": "journal", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "openalex", "2805|Functional Brain Connectivity Studies" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Nervous system/Neuroanatomy/Connectomics" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Developmental biology/Neonates" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Brain mapping/Brain morphometry/Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Brain mapping/Connectomics" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Brain mapping/Functional magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive science/Cognitive psychology/Language" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Neural networks" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Neuroanatomy/Connectomics" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Neuroimaging/Brain morphometry/Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Neuroimaging/Functional magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Language" ], [ "plos", "/Computer and information sciences/Neural networks" ], [ "plos", "/Computer and information sciences/Software engineering/Preprocessing" ], [ "plos", "/Engineering and technology/Software engineering/Preprocessing" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Nervous system/Neuroanatomy/Connectomics" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Diagnostic medicine/Diagnostic radiology/Magnetic resonance imaging/Brain morphometry/Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Diagnostic medicine/Diagnostic radiology/Magnetic resonance imaging/Functional magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Radiology and imaging/Diagnostic radiology/Magnetic resonance imaging/Brain morphometry/Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Radiology and imaging/Diagnostic radiology/Magnetic resonance imaging/Functional magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Physical sciences/Mathematics/Discrete mathematics/Combinatorics/Permutation" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Imaging techniques/Diagnostic radiology/Magnetic resonance imaging/Brain morphometry/Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Imaging techniques/Diagnostic radiology/Magnetic resonance imaging/Functional magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Imaging techniques/Neuroimaging/Brain morphometry/Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Imaging techniques/Neuroimaging/Functional magnetic resonance imaging" ], [ "plos", "/Social sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Language" ] ], "openalex": "W7168019031", "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003927&type=printable", "pmcid": null, "pmid": null, "published": "2026-09-09", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e3h5ywve8mdtr.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pbio.3003927", "source": "plos", "url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003927" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "biology", "origin": "plos:neuroscience", "subfield": "neuroscience" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "plos:diagnostic radiology", "subfield": "imaging" } ], "title": "Brain structural and functional connectivity converge prenatally but diverge after birth", "title_text": "Brain structural and functional connectivity converge prenatally but diverge after birth", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e3h5ywve8mdtr", "venue": "PLOS Biology", "versions": [] }