Structure-function coupling within the reward network in preschool children predicts executive functioning in later childhood.

ABSTRACT: Early differences in reward behavior have been linked to executive functioning development. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) are activated by reward-related tasks and identified as key nodes of the brain circuit that underlie reward processing. We aimed to investigate the relation between NAc-OFC structural and functional connectivity in preschool children, as well as associations with future reward sensitivity and executive function. We showed that NAc-OFC structural and functional connectivity were not significantly associated in preschool children, but both independently predicted sensitivity to reward in males in a left-lateralized manner. Moreover, significant NAc-OFC structure-function coupling was only found in individuals who performed poorly on executive

SUBMITTER: Chan SY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9010704 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature