Genetic and environmental influences on structural brain development from childhood to adolescence: A longitudinal twin study on cortical thickness, surface area, and subcortical volume.

ABSTRACT: The human brain undergoes structural development from childhood to adolescence, with specific regions in the sensorimotor, social, and affective networks continuing to grow into adulthood. While genetic and environmental factors contribute to individual differences in these brain trajectories, the extent remains understudied. Our longitudinal study, utilizing up to three biennial MRI scans (n=485), aimed to assess the genetic and environmental effects on brain structure (age 7) and development (ages 7-14) in these regions. Heritability estimates varied across brain regions, with all regions showing genetic influence (ranging from 18 % to 59 %) with additional shared environmental factors affecting the primary motor cortex (30 %), somatosensory cortex (35 %), DLPFC (5 %), TPJ (17 %), STS (1

SUBMITTER: van Drunen L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11225697 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature