Differential myelination maturation across cortical regions and white matter tracts during infancy

Motivation: While myelination is known to progress rapidly in the infant brain, the specific myelination progression in finer cortical regions and white matter (WM) tracts remain elusive. The precise effects of environmental impacts on infant brain myelination maturation require further investigation. Goal(s): Our goal was to delineate differential myelination maturation trajectories across cortical and WM regions during infancy and explore their associations with environmental factors. Approach: T1-weighted and T2-weighted images were used to map myelin content and analyzed with generalized additive models.Results: Differential myelination processes were found across cortical and white matter regions, with significant correlations to socioeconomic status and parental stress.Impact: This research advances understanding of complicated yet organized patterns in the early developing brain, informing pediatric care strategies. It enables targeted interventions for at-risk groups based on environmental impacts, potentially improving long-term cognitive outcomes. Further studies could investigate intervention efficacy.