Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Brain Behav. 2019 Dec;9(12):e01413. doi: 10.1002/brb3.1413. Epub 2019 Sep 30.
Emotional and behavioral control is necessary self-regulatory processes to maintain stable goal-driven behavior. Studies indicate that variance in these executive function (EF) processes is related to morphological features of the brain and white matter (WM) differences. Furthermore, sex hormone level may modulate circuits in the brain important for cognitive function.
We aimed to investigate the structural neural correlates of EF behavior in gray matter (GM) and WM while taking into account estradiol level, in an adolescent population. The present study obtained neuroimaging behavioral and physiological data from the National Institute of Health's Pediatric Database (NIHPD). We analyzed the relationship between cortical morphometry and structural connectivity (N = 55), using a parent-administered behavioral monitoring instrument (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-BRIEF), estradiol level, as well as their interaction.
Executive function behavior and estradiol level related to bidirectional associations with cortical morphometry in the right posterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (pDLPFC) and primary motor cortex (PMC), as well as fractional anisotropy (FA) in the forceps major and minor. Lastly, the interaction of EF behavior and estradiol level related to decreased volume in the right PMC and was linked to altered FA in the right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (iFOF).
The study provides evidence that the relationship between EF behavior and estradiol level related to bidirectional GM and WM differences, implying estradiol level has an influence on the putative structural regions underlying EF behavior. The findings represent a crucial link between EF behavior and hormonal influence on brain structure in adolescence.
情绪和行为控制是维持稳定目标导向行为所必需的自我调节过程。研究表明，这些执行功能 (EF) 过程的差异与大脑的形态特征和白质 (WM) 差异有关。此外，性激素水平可能调节大脑中对认知功能很重要的回路。
我们旨在研究青少年人群中，在考虑雌二醇水平的情况下，EF 行为与灰质 (GM) 和 WM 的结构神经相关性。本研究从美国国立卫生研究院儿科数据库 (NIHPD) 获得了神经影像学行为和生理数据。我们使用家长管理的行为监测工具（行为评定量表的执行功能-BRIEF）分析了皮质形态和结构连接（N=55）之间的关系，同时还分析了雌二醇水平及其相互作用。
执行功能行为和雌二醇水平与右侧后背外侧前额叶皮质 (pDLPFC) 和初级运动皮质 (PMC) 的皮质形态以及主要和次要钳状纤维的各向异性分数 (FA) 呈双向相关。最后，EF 行为和雌二醇水平的相互作用与右侧 PMC 体积减小有关，并且与右侧下额枕束 (iFOF) 的 FA 改变有关。
该研究提供了证据表明，EF 行为和雌二醇水平之间的关系与 GM 和 WM 的双向差异有关，这意味着雌二醇水平对 EF 行为的潜在结构区域有影响。这些发现代表了 EF 行为和激素对青少年大脑结构影响之间的重要联系。
