Results of the largest study of adolescent brain cognitive development to date released

American scientists wrote in the online version of Nature Neuroscience published on the 8th that they have conducted the largest longitudinal neuroimaging study to date, and the adolescent brain activation data obtained revealed important new information related to cognitive processes and brain systems that are critical to adolescent development. The latest research will help scientists clarify and alleviate the physical and mental health challenges faced by adults.

Scientists explain that because brain, cognitive and emotional maturation, as well as many mental health disorders, occur between the ages of 10 and 20, it is of great interest to understand neurodevelopment and how it is affected by the numerous risk factors that emerge during this time. But to date, most human neuroimaging studies have focused on brain function in adults.

In view of this, scientists from the University of Vermont launched the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study in 2016, a 10-year longitudinal study conducted in multiple locations. Scientists recruited nearly 12,000 adolescents aged 9 to 10 at 21 research sites across the United States.

In the study, scientists used functional magnetic resonance imaging technology to observe the brain activity of subjects while they performed three different tasks and identified differences in brain activity patterns between different individuals when completing different tasks.

Dr. Hugh Galavan, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont, said: "This study may be the largest paper to date on brain activity because it shows which brain areas are activated for each task and how they vary between individuals. It will likely serve as a foundation for follow-up research."

The latest research has identified which brain areas are involved in a range of important psychological processes, including cognitive control, reward processing, working memory, and social/emotional functions. The brain maps obtained will help scientists better understand which psychological processes put young people at higher risk of mental and physical health challenges, and provide guidance for related intervention measures.

"The brain activity map we provide will serve as the gold standard in neuroscience and provide a reference for subsequent related research," said Bud Sharani, the first author of the latest study and an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont. "This brain activity map will allow scientists to conduct cross-sectional analyses of differences between individuals and groups, and quantify how brain function changes - these changes may be synergistically influenced by many factors that are expected to affect adolescent development and behavior."