Journal
CEREBRAL CORTEX
Volume 30, Issue 2, Pages 672-681Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC
DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz117
Keywords
development; executive function; Pediatric Imaging; Neurocognition; Genetics (PING); resting-state fMRI; structural equation modeling (SEM)
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Funding
- NIMH
- Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project
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The striatum has long been associated with cognitive functions, but the mechanisms behind this are still unclear. Here we tested a new hypothesis that the striatum contributes to executive function (EF) by strengthening cortico-cortical connections. Striatal connectivity was evaluated by measuring the resting-state functional connectivity between ventral and dorsal striatum in 570 individuals, aged 3-20 years. Using structural equation modeling, we found that inter-individual differences in striatal connectivity had an indirect effect (via fronto-parietal functional connectivity) and a direct effect on a compound EF measure of working memory, inhibition, and set-shifting/flexibility. The effect of fronto-parietal connectivity on cognition did not depend on age: the influence was as strong in older as younger children. In contrast, striatal connectivity was closely related to changes in cognitive ability during childhood development, suggesting a specific role of the striatum in cognitive plasticity. These results support a new principle for striatal functioning, according to which striatum promotes cognitive development by strengthening of cortico-cortical connectivity.
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