No abstract

The spatial distribution of large-scale functional networks on the cerebral cortex differs between individuals and is particularly variable in association networks that are responsible for higher-order cognition. However, it remains unknown how this functional topography evolves in development and supports cognition. Capitalizing on advances in machine learning and a large sample imaged with 27 min of high-quality functional MRI (fMRI) data (n = 693, ages 8-23 years), we delineate how functional topography evolves during youth. We found that the functional topography of association networks is refined with age, allowing accurate prediction of unseen individuals' brain maturity. The cortical representation of association networks predicts individual differences in executive function. Finally, variability of functional topography is associated with fundamental properties of brain organization, including evolutionary expansion, cortical myelination, and cerebral blood flow. Our results emphasize the importance of considering the plasticity and diversity of functional neuroanatomy during development and suggest advances in personalized therapeutics.

The protracted development of structural and functional brain connectivity within distributed association networks coincides with improvements in higher-order cognitive processes such as working memory. However, it remains unclear how white matter architecture develops during youth to directly support coordinated neural activity.Here, we characterize the development of structure-function coupling using diffusionweighted imaging and n-back fMRI data in a sample of 727 individuals (ages 8-23 years). We found that spatial variability in structure-function coupling aligned with cortical hierarchies of functional specialization and evolutionary expansion. Furthermore, hierarchy-dependent age effects on structure-function coupling localized to transmodal cortex in both cross-sectional data and a subset of participants with longitudinal data (n=294). Moreover, structure-function coupling in rostrolateral prefrontal cortex was associated with executive performance, and partially mediated age-related improvements in executive function. Together, these findings delineate a critical dimension of adolescent brain development, whereby the coupling between structural and functional connectivity remodels to support functional specialization and cognition.