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Developmental trajectory of the prefrontal cortex: a systematic review of diffusion tensor imaging studies

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Abstract

Fluctuations in gray and white matter volumes in addition to the fibers’ reorganization and refinement of synaptic connectivity apparently happen in a particular temporo-spatial sequence during the dynamic and prolonged process of cerebral maturation. These developmental events are associated with regional modifications of brain tissues and neural circuits, contributing to networks’ specialization and enhanced cognitive processing. According to several studies, improvements in cognitive processes are possibly myelin-dependent and associated to white matter maturation. Of particular interest is the developmental pattern of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), more specifically the PFC white matter, due to its role in high-level executive processes such as attention, working memory and inhibitory control. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the Web of Science, PubMed and Embase databases to analyze the development of PFC white matter using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), a widely used non-invasive technique to assess white matter maturation. Both the research and reporting of results were based on Cochrane’s recommendations and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. Information extracted from 27 published studies revealed an increased myelination, organization and integrity of frontal white matter with age, as revealed by DTI indexes (fractional anisotropy [FA], mean diffusivity [MD], radial diffusivity [RD] and axial diffusivity [AD]). These patterns highlight the extended developmental course of the frontal structural connectivity, which parallels the improvements in higher-level cognitive functions observed between adolescence and early adulthood.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuropsychophysiology Lab, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

    Sónia S. Sousa, Alberto Crego, Óscar F. Gonçalves & Adriana Sampaio

  2. Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Edson Amaro Jr

  3. Spaulding Neuromodulation Center, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown campus: 79/96 13th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA

    Óscar F. Gonçalves

  4. Department of Applied Psychology, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, 404 International Village, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Óscar F. Gonçalves

Authors
  1. Sónia S. Sousa
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  2. Edson Amaro Jr
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  3. Alberto Crego
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  4. Óscar F. Gonçalves
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  5. Adriana Sampaio
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sónia S. Sousa.

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Funding

This work was conducted at Psychology Research Centre (UID/PSI/01662/2013), University of Minho, and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science through national funds and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007653). Sónia Silva Sousa was supported by the SFRH/BD/ 88628/2012, Doctoral Fellowship of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, co-financed by POPH/FSE through QREN.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Sousa, S.S., Amaro, E., Crego, A. et al. Developmental trajectory of the prefrontal cortex: a systematic review of diffusion tensor imaging studies. Brain Imaging and Behavior 12, 1197–1210 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-017-9761-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-017-9761-4

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