Longevity & AgingBrain Hierarchy Reshapes Across the Entire Human Lifespan in New Imaging Study
Researchers analyzed resting-state fMRI data from thousands of participants spanning childhood to late adulthood to chart how the cortical functional hierarchy—the gradient from sensory to higher-order association regions—changes across the lifespan. Using diffusion map embedding, they quantified hierarchical position for each cortical region and modeled nonlinear age trajectories. Sensory and motor regions showed early maturation and relative stability, while transmodal association areas (prefrontal, parietal, default mode network) continued developing into adulthood before declining in older age. The study provides a comprehensive spatiotemporal map of cortical hierarchy development and aging, linking hierarchy metrics to cognition and offering a normative framework for studying brain disorders.
