| Title: | Spatiotemporal dynamics of the human cortical functional hierarchy across the lifespan |
| Journal: | Nature Communications |
| Published: | 7 Apr 2026 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41946727/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-71270-w |
Publication 18071
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Abstract
The human cortical functional hierarchy, spanning from primary sensorimotor to transmodal association regions, represents a fundamental principle of brain organisation. Here, we show lifespan changes in the sensorimotor-association (S-A) gradient in the cortical functional hierarchy using multimodal neuroimaging data from 33,247 participants aged 32 postmenstrual weeks to 80 years. We identify three critical neurodevelopmental milestones: initiation (third trimester to perinatal period), establishment (infancy to early childhood), and expansion-stabilisation (late childhood to adulthood). Pronounced gradient changes are predominantly observed during the first decade, with continued refinement extending into mid-adulthood. Spatiotemporally heterogeneous growth patterns in functional gradients align with evolutionary hierarchies, segregation-integration dynamics, structural maturation, and cognitive spectrum development, proceeding along a dominant S-A growth axis. These findings establish a unified neurodevelopmental framework that links connectome gradient dynamics to multifaceted functional and structural properties, advancing our understanding of cortical hierarchy maturation across the lifespan.</p>
74 Authors
- Qiongling Li
- Xinyuan Liang
- Debin Zeng
- Tengda Zhao
- Xuhong Liao
- Gaolang Gong
- Qian Wang
- Chenxuan Pang
- Qian Yu
- Xiaoxi Dong
- Yirong He
- Yanchao Bi
- Pindong Chen
- Rui Chen
- Yuan Chen
- Taolin Chen
- Jingliang Cheng
- Yuqi Cheng
- Zaixu Cui
- Zhengjia Dai
- Yao Deng
- Yuyin Ding
- Qi Dong
- Dingna Duan
- Jia-Hong Gao
- Qiyong Gong
- Ying Han
- Zaizhu Han
- Chu-Chung Huang
- Ruiwang Huang
- Ran Huo
- Lingjiang Li
- Ching-Po Lin
- Qixiang Lin
- Bangshan Liu
- Chao Liu
- Ningyu Liu
- Ying Liu
- Yong Liu
- Jing Lu
- Leilei Ma
- Weiwei Men
- Shaozheng Qin
- Wen Qin
- Jiang Qiu
- Shijun Qiu
- Tianmei Si
- Shuping Tan
- Yanqing Tang
- Sha Tao
- Dawei Wang
- Fei Wang
- Jiali Wang
- Pan Wang
- Xiaoqin Wang
- Yanpei Wang
- Dongtao Wei
- Yankun Wu
- Peng Xie
- Xiufeng Xu
- Yuehua Xu
- Zhilei Xu
- Liyuan Yang
- Chunshui Yu
- Huishu Yuan
- Zilong Zeng
- Haibo Zhang
- Xi Zhang
- Gai Zhao
- Yanting Zheng
- Suyu Zhong
- Mingrui Xia
- Shuyu Li
- Yong He
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