USC Researchers Develop Comprehensive Brain Wiring Reference Models to Track Lifespan Changes
Researchers at the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute have developed extensive reference models for the human brain's white matter using diffusion MRI scans from over 54,000 individuals. These models, published in Nature Communications, serve as 'growth charts' for the brain's neural pathways, which are crucial for communication between different brain regions. The study provides insights into how these pathways develop, mature, and decline over a person's lifespan. By analyzing four key measures of white matter microstructure across 21 major brain regions, the researchers have created lifespan curves that show typical changes at various life stages. This model helps identify when an individual's brain wiring deviates from expected norms, offering a new tool for detecting subtle patterns linked to aging, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia risk, and other neurological conditions. 
