Commonality and variability in functional networks in children under 5 years old
10 affiliations
- 1Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO USA
- 2Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH USA
- 3Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- 4Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- 5Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery, Georgetown University, Washington, DC USA
- 6Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO USA
- 7Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO USA
- 8The Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO USA
- 9Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO USA
- 10Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO USA
Abstract
Functional brain networks support human cognition, yet how individualized network architecture emerges in early childhood remains poorly understood. Averaging across participants can obscure age-specific organization and person-to-person differences, particularly in slowly developing association cortices. We developed an age-appropriate functional reference that captured common structure across toddlers without averaging away individual variability, enabling estimation of each child’s networks from resting-state fMRI. Across cohorts of 8-60-month-old children, we found individualized network organization-including finer-scale subdivisions and emerging language lateralization well before age five. Network layouts showed longitudinal stability, with greater consistency in sensory than association regions. Within-network connectivity was stronger and explained age-related variance when networks were defined using individualized rather than group-consensus topography. Left-lateralization of language networks tracked age-normalized verbal ability, linking early functional architecture to emerging cognition. These findings show that behaviorally relevant brain networks arise far earlier than previously recognized, providing a foundation for studying typical development and early biomarkers.
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BibTeX
@article{tu2026commonality,
title = {{Commonality and variability in functional networks in children under 5 years old}},
author = {Jiaxin Cindy Tu and Chenyan Lu and Trevor K. M. Day and Robert Hermosillo and Lucille A. Moore and Anxu Wang and Xintian Wang and Donna Dierker and Aidan Latham and Jeanette K. Kenley and Damien A. Fair and Jed T. Elison and Chad M. Sylvester and Barbara B. Warner and Joan L. Luby and Cynthia E. Rogers and Deanna M. Barch and Christopher D. Smyser and Timothy O. Laumann and Evan M. Gordon and Adam T. Eggebrecht and Muriah D. Wheelock},
journal = {Communications Biology},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s42003-026-10599-w},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10599-w},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Commonality and variability in functional networks in children under 5 years old
AU - Jiaxin Cindy Tu
AU - Chenyan Lu
AU - Trevor K. M. Day
AU - Robert Hermosillo
AU - Lucille A. Moore
AU - Anxu Wang
AU - Xintian Wang
AU - Donna Dierker
AU - Aidan Latham
AU - Jeanette K. Kenley
AU - Damien A. Fair
AU - Jed T. Elison
AU - Chad M. Sylvester
AU - Barbara B. Warner
AU - Joan L. Luby
AU - Cynthia E. Rogers
AU - Deanna M. Barch
AU - Christopher D. Smyser
AU - Timothy O. Laumann
AU - Evan M. Gordon
AU - Adam T. Eggebrecht
AU - Muriah D. Wheelock
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/07
JO - Communications Biology
DO - 10.1038/s42003-026-10599-w
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10599-w
AB - Functional brain networks support human cognition, yet how individualized network architecture emerges in early childhood remains poorly understood. Averaging across participants can obscure age-specific organization and person-to-person differences, particularly in slowly developing association cortices. We developed an age-appropriate functional reference that captured common structure across toddlers without averaging away individual variability, enabling estimation of each child’s networks from resting-state fMRI. Across cohorts of 8-60-month-old children, we found individualized network organization-including finer-scale subdivisions and emerging language lateralization well before age five. Network layouts showed longitudinal stability, with greater consistency in sensory than association regions. Within-network connectivity was stronger and explained age-related variance when networks were defined using individualized rather than group-consensus topography. Left-lateralization of language networks tracked age-normalized verbal ability, linking early functional architecture to emerging cognition. These findings show that behaviorally relevant brain networks arise far earlier than previously recognized, providing a foundation for studying typical development and early biomarkers.
SN - 2399-3642
ER -