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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.07.23.666366

Dynamic Inter-Modality Source Coupling Reveals Sex Differences in Children based on Brain Structural-Functional Network Connectivity: A Multimodal MRI Study of the ABCD Dataset

Kotoski, A.·Wiafe, S.-L.·Stephen, J.·Wang, Y.-P.·Wilson, T.·Calhoun, V.
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Abstract

BackgroundSex differences in brain development are well-documented, yet the dynamic coupling between structure and function remains underexplored. We introduce dynamic inter-modality source coupling (dIMSC), extending our previous work to link structural MRI source-based morphometry (SBM) with dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC). MethodsWe used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (ages 9-11) and combined SBM-derived gray matter sources with sliding-window dFNC. dIMSC was computed as the time-resolved cross-correlation between these modalities to quantify structure-function coupling strength. We evaluated sex differences in these profiles and their interaction with cognitive performance. ResultsSignificant sex-specific patterns emerged: males exhibited stronger positive coupling in sensorimotor regions (postcentral gyrus), while females showed stronger coupling in higher-order associative regions (inferior parietal lobule). These configurations were functionally distinct: higher positive coupling occupancy predicted better crystallized cognition (vocabulary) in females, whereas it predicted better fluid cognition (working memory) in males. ConclusionTogether, these findings suggest that males and females utilize distinct structural-functional configurations to support cognitive processing, males relying on a sensorimotor-anchored organization and females on an associative-anchored one. The dIMSC method advances our earlier work by enabling time-resolved analysis of brain coupling, providing a powerful framework for investigating sex-specific neurodevelopmental mechanisms.

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Kotoski, A., Wiafe, S.-L., Stephen, J., Wang, Y.-P., Wilson, T., Calhoun, V.. 2025-07-29. Dynamic Inter-Modality Source Coupling Reveals Sex Differences in Children based on Brain Structural-Functional Network Connectivity: A Multimodal MRI Study of the ABCD Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.23.666366

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