Biology subjects

Ellwood-Lowe, M. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Ellwood-Lowe, M. E..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Area-level context and functional brain organization across the lifespan

The neighborhoods children grow up in are associated with cognitive and mental health outcomes across the lifespan. Yet how neighborhood-level factors are quantified, and how they relate to large-scale functional brain connectivity, remains an emerging area of investigation. This scoping review synthesizes empirical evidence on associations between area-level factors and resting-state functional brain connectivity and network organization. We included studies assessing resting-state fMRI functional connectivity or rs-fMRI-derived intrinsic activity in relation to validated area-level deprivation indices guided by Trinidad et al.s (2022) inventory, the Opportunity Atlas, or geocoded crime exposure from the Uniform Crime Reporting program. Of the 28 studies meeting inclusion criteria, the evidence base was unevenly distributed across the lifespan; 25 of 28 (89.3%) examined perinatal, childhood, or adolescent samples, while only one examined adults exclusively. The literature was also methodologically non-independent, over half drew on the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, and the Area Deprivation Index was the most commonly used measure (k = 16, 57.1%). Therefore, apparent convergence partly reflects shared data and instruments rather than independent replication. Where directions could be compared, higher area-level disadvantage was associated predominantly with lower within-network connectivity in association and control systems and higher connectivity in somatomotor systems, with several findings attenuating once area-level exposure was isolated from household socioeconomic status. Geographic resolution varied but was rarely justified. Progress will require greater theoretical intentionality in selecting area-level measures, transparent justification of geographic resolution, treatment of dataset and measure non-independence, and investment in understudied developmental periods and non-US contexts.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Developmental links between play behavior and brain network integration

Play is a fundamental aspect of childhood and plays a crucial role in the development of creativity, yet its neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that more frequent play is associated with stronger functional integration among the default mode network (DMN), executive control network (CN), and salience network (SAL), as these cortical networks have been implicated in creativity in adults. In a preregistered study of infants and toddlers (Study 1; N = 143, 10 months-3 years, 67 boys, Baby Connectome Project), parent-reported play and imitation behaviors increased sharply from 1 to 2 years, and were associated with stronger within-DMN connectivity and DMN-CN coupling, controlling for age, sex, and head motion. In middle childhood (Study 2; N = 108, ages 4-11 years, 52 boys), parent-reported play frequency declined with age, as did cross-network coupling involving SAL. However, children who engaged more frequently in play showed higher DMN-SAL and CN-SAL connectivity. Finally, in a quasi-experimental comparison (Study 3; N = 45; ages 4-12 years, 20 boys), children enrolled in a curriculum that includes guided play (Montessori) showed higher DMN-SAL and DMN-CN connectivity than peers in traditional schools, suggesting that pedagogies that center child-led exploration might enable protracted brain network integration. Across these three studies, play was consistently associated with greater integration among DMN, SAL, and CN, a pattern previously linked to creativity in adults. Our findings offer a potential mechanism linking childhood play to later creativity through its role in supporting brain integration during development. Public Significant StatementO_LIPlay is widely believed to nurture childrens creativity, yet the brain mechanisms behind this link are not well understood. C_LIO_LIAcross three studies from infancy to middle childhood, we found that more frequent play was associated with stronger integration among brain networks tied to imagination, attention, and control. C_LIO_LIThese findings suggest that play may help build the neural foundation for later creative thinking. C_LI

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Cascading periods of language-related brain plasticity across early childhood

Language is thought to have multiple sensitive periods in early childhood, but the neural basis of these sensitive periods is less understood. We leverage advances in in-vivo neuroimaging of plasticity, measuring the neural inhibition across the brain via Hurst exponent. Using two large datasets with children ages 10 months to 18 years (Baby Connectome Project: 10m-3y6m, 458 observations across n=222 children; Human Connectome Project-Development: 5-18y, n=437), we characterize the development of the Hurst exponent in language-related brain regions. In early childhood, Hurst increases in temporal and frontal language areas, and posterior regions develop earlier than anterior regions. In contrast, thalamic Hurst plateaus earlier, perhaps underlying the earliest language-related sensitive periods. Children with higher language-related skills show slower increases in cortical Hurst in early childhood, suggesting protracted plasticity. Later in childhood, cortical Hurst plateaus around age 9, suggesting a potential neural mechanism for age-related declines syntax learning. These results highlight a potential neural basis for cascading language-related sensitive periods. Research highlightsO_LILanguage has multiple, cascading sensitive periods, but the neural basis of these sensitive periods is not well-understood. C_LIO_LIWe leverage advances in in-vivo neuroimaging to quantify plasticity in language-related brain regions across childhood via Hurst, a measure of inhibition. C_LIO_LIWe find that Hurst increases (plasticity decreases) in a graded fashion, with posterior regions maturing before anterior regions. C_LIO_LIThalamic hurst plateaus in the first year of life, while cortical Hurst plateaus at age 9, suggesting a neural basis for distinct language-related sensitive periods. C_LI

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Academic Success and Mental Health: The Paradox of Frontoparietal-Default Mode Network Coupling among Children Facing Poverty

Childhood family income is a powerful predictor of academic achievement and mental health. Here, we ask whether children living in poverty who succeed academically are subsequently protected from, or at risk for, internalizing symptoms. Prior research indicates that children in poverty with better academic performance tend to have higher temporal coupling between the Lateral Frontoparietal Network (LFPN) and Default Mode Network (DMN) than lower-performing children in poverty. An open question is whether higher LFPN-DMN coupling has maladaptive long-term consequences for mental health for this population. In this pre-registered longitudinal study, we analyzed data from 10,829 children (1,931 in poverty) in the ABCD study across four time points (ages 9-13). Higher grades correlated with fewer internalizing symptoms; this association was more pronounced for children below poverty. Longitudinally, LFPN-DMN connectivity correlated positively with internalizing symptoms across both groups and timepoints. Thus, although higher academic performance was associated with better mental health outcomes for all children, the specific pattern of LFPN-DMN connectivity that supports academic resilience among children in poverty may be a risk factor for developing internalizing symptoms. These findings highlight the complex nature of academic resilience in the context of structural inequity. HighlightsO_LIHigh grades linked to fewer internalizing symptoms, especially for kids in poverty. C_LIO_LIHigh LFPN-DMN connectivity predicts higher internalizing symptoms in children. C_LIO_LINeural correlates of academic resilience may predispose children to internalizing. C_LIO_LIChildren below poverty had higher internalizing symptoms. C_LI

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Exploring neural correlates of behavioral and academic resilience among children in poverty

Children in poverty must contend with systems that do not meet their needs. We explored what, at a neural level, helps explain childrens resilience in these contexts. Lower coupling between lateral frontoparietal network (LFPN) and default mode network (DMN)--linked, respectively, to externally- and internally-directed thought--has previously been associated with better cognitive performance. However, we recently found the opposite pattern for children in poverty. Here, we probed ecologically-valid assessments of performance. In a pre-registered study, we investigated trajectories of network coupling over ages 9-13 and their relation to school grades and attention problems. We analyzed longitudinal data from ABCD Study (N=8366 children at baseline; 1303 below poverty). The link between cognitive performance and grades was weaker for children in poverty, highlighting the importance of ecologically-valid measures. As predicted, higher LFPN-DMN connectivity was linked to worse grades and attentional problems for children living above poverty, while children below poverty showed opposite tendencies. This interaction between LFPN-DMN connectivity and poverty related to childrens grades two years later; however, it was attenuated when controlling for baseline grades and was not related to attention longitudinally. Together, these findings suggest network connectivity is differentially related to performance in real-world settings for children above and below poverty.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

What is an adaptive pattern of brain activity for a child? It depends on their environment

Prior research indicates that lower resting-state functional coupling between two brain networks, lateral frontoparietal network (LFPN) and default mode network (DMN), relates to better cognitive test performance. However, most study samples skew towards wealthier individuals--and what is adaptive for one population may not be for another. In a pre-registered study, we analyzed resting-state fMRI from 6839 children ages 9-10 years. For children above poverty, we replicated the prior finding: better cognitive performance correlated with weaker LFPN-DMN coupling. For children in poverty, the slope of the relation was instead positive. This significant interaction related to several features of a childs environment. Future research should investigate the possibility that leveraging internally guided cognition is a mechanism of resilience for children in poverty. In sum, "optimal" brain function depends in part on the external pressures children face, highlighting the need for more diverse samples in research on the human brain and behavior.

neuroscience↗