Deciphering early cognitive functions in newborns: the interplay between task-based brain responses and their underlying network organization

• Applicant: Dr. Julia Moser
• Subject Area: Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 493345456

Monitoring infants’ cognitive development is a challenging endeavour, which is up to now often restricted to assessments that require a certain behavioural maturity, even though already newborn human infants possess remarkable cognitive skills.Neuroimaging methods like electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) are helpful tools for the assessment of these early abilities. Yet, there is little knowledge about the interplay between the neural markers obtained from EEG/MEG and brain organization measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) which are both able to predict the development of cognitive abilities.In a time of heightened plasticity in the brain, the question is, whether the way in which the brain is organized determines the way the brain responds to input from the environment or whether multiple organizational patterns can lead to the same response. This work will focus on the interplay between brain organization and task-related brain activity measured with fMRI. Thereby brain organization will be quantified by resting state functional connectivity. The main objective of the proposed work program is to characterize how task-related brain activation in newborns is related to their network organization. Furthermore, we want to find out, whether network maturity is directly related to the degree of task based activation and thereby the crucial factor underlying the link between findings from neuroimaging studies and later cognitive outcomes. Part 1 of the proposed project will make use of an existing dataset, which consists of both resting state and task-based activity (responses towards deviating stimuli) in newborns. It allows to characterize neonatal resting state functional connectivity networks onto which neonatal novelty responses can be mapped and to calculate a maturity index of neonatal networks. This index can then be related to the magnitude of novelty responses. In Part 2 this study, precision neuroimaging data will be collected to evaluate individual networks in newborns and relate their individual network organization to their task-based activity. This step will increase specificity compared to the analysis in part one. The proposed project will improve our understanding of neuronal markers of cognitive functioning and can increase their applicability as potential biomarkers for functional or dysfunctional cognitive development. This can ultimately lead to the possibility to assess deviations from normal cognitive developmental trajectories early on, allowing to design interventions in a time of high brain plasticity.

• DFG Programme: WBP Fellowship
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. Damien Fair
• Participating Person: Dr. Chad M. Sylvester