The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is a key network hub for cognitive control and environmental adaptation. Previous studies have shown that task-based functional activity in this area is constrained by individual differences in sulcal pattern, a morphologic feature of cortex anatomy determined during fetal life and stable throughout development.
Methods:
By using anatomical magnetic resonance imaging and seed-based resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC), we explored the influence of sulcal pattern variability on the functional architecture of the dACC in a sample of healthy adults aged 20–80 years (n = 173).
Results:
Overall, rsFC was associated with individual differences in sulcal pattern. Furthermore, rsFC was modulated by the age–sulcal pattern interaction.
Conclusion:
Our results suggest a relationship between brain structure and function that partly traces back to early stages of brain development. The modulation of rsFC by the age–sulcal pattern interaction indicates that the effects of sulcal pattern variability on the functional architecture of the dACC may change over adulthood, with potential repercussions for brain network efficiency and cognitive function in aging.
Impact statement
We investigated for the first time the relationship between anatomical variability of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in young and older adult individuals. Seed-to-voxel rsFC analyses revealed that distinct dACC sulcal patterns are associated with specific profiles of connectivity strength and trajectories, and that this relationship changes as age increases. These findings provide novel insights into the relationship between early-determined neuroanatomical variants and brain functional architecture over adulthood.
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