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Conference

Society for Neuroscience

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

11-14-2023

Abstract or Description

Brain network organization varies between individuals, and individual differences in intrinsic brain networks have been linked to differences in cognitive ability. Individual differences in brain connectivity may be especially evident in brain networks that support executive functions such as cognitive control and attention such as the frontoparietal and salience networks. The frontoparietal network is theorized to play a role in cognitive control, which refers to the selection of thoughts and behaviors in context of task demands. Specifically, the frontoparietal network is necessary to flexibly coordinate behavior in a goal-driven manner. Meanwhile, the salience network has been hypothesized to modulate the relationship between the default mode network, which contributes to self-oriented cognition, and the frontoparietal network. Prior work suggests that the maturation of executive functions during development parallels the integration of the salience networks with the frontoparietal network. Additionally, increased frontoparietal and salience intranetwork connectivity has been associated with development from periadolescence to adulthood. However, associations between frontoparietal or salience intranetwork connectivity and executive functions abilities have not been tested in periadolescent children. Here we tested whether intranetwork connectivity of frontoparietal and salience networks was correlated with executive function measures in periadolescent children. Participants in the NIA-funded Polygenic Risk of Alzheimer’s disease in Nebraska Kids (PRANK) study (N = 94) completed the NIH toolbox cognition battery as well as a functional MRI (fMRI) scan including resting-state data collection. Intranetwork connectivity was measured using the Human Connectome Project’s connectome workbench software. Results of the data analysis indicated a positive correlation between scores on fluid cognition measures and frontoparietal intranetwork connectivity, r(73) = .29, p = .01. A positive correlation was also observed with flanker task scores and frontoparietal intranetwork connectivity, r(73) = .25, p = .03. Finally, we observed a positive correlation with salience intranetwork connectivity and age-adjusted dimensional card sorting task scores, r(91) = .22, p = .03. Our preliminary findings show an association of executive function measures with intranetwork connectivity of two key intrinsic functional networks, and they suggest that frontoparietal and salience intranetwork connectivity may reflect increased efficiency of cognitive control during development.

Associations Between Salience and Frontoparietal Intranetwork Connectivity and Executive Function Tasks in Periadolescent Children

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