The neurobiology of childhood structural brain development: Conception through adulthood

Abstract

The study of the function and structure of the human brain dates back centuries, when philosophers and physicians theorized about the localization of specific cognitive functions and the structure and organization of underlying brain tissue. In more recent years, the advent of non-invasive techniques such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has allowed scientists unprecedented opportunities to further our understanding not only of structure and function, but of trajectories of brain development in typical and a-typical child and adult populations. In this chapter, we hope to provide a system-level approach to introduce what we have learned about structural brain development from conception through adulthood. We discuss important findings from MRI studies, and the directions that future imaging studies can take in the concerted effort to enhance our understanding of brain development, and thus to enhance our ability to develop interventions for various neurodevelopmental disorders.