Prefrontal cortex intrinsic functional connectivity and executive function in early childhood and early adulthood using fNIRS

Cassondra M Eng; Roberto J Vargas; Howard L Fung; Selena R Niemi; Melissa Pocsai; Anna V Fisher; Erik D Thiessen

doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101570

Prefrontal cortex intrinsic functional connectivity and executive function in early childhood and early adulthood using fNIRS

Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2025 May 24:74:101570. doi: 10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101570. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Cassondra M Eng¹, Roberto J Vargas², Howard L Fung³, Selena R Niemi⁴, Melissa Pocsai⁵, Anna V Fisher², Erik D Thiessen⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, 1520 Page Mill Road, Stanford, CA 94304, USA; Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: cassie24@stanford.edu.
² Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, 1520 Page Mill Road, Stanford, CA 94304, USA; Department of Psychology, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, 1520 Page Mill Road, Stanford, CA 94304, USA; Department of Human Biology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Building 20, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
⁵ Department of Psychology, The Graduate Center & Queens College, City University of New York, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA.
⁶ Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: thiessen@andrew.cmu.edu.

Abstract

Executive function (EF) is crucial for goal-directed behavior and predicts overall wellbeing, academic and interpersonal success. Intrinsic (i.e., non-evoked) resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) during naturalistic paradigms offers insight into neural mechanisms underlying EF. However, few studies have explored EF-rsFC associations using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) across age groups. This cross-sectional study validates a naturalistic viewing paradigm (Inscapes) using fNIRS and examines the link between rsFC in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and EF in children ages 4-5 and in young adults ages 18-22. Adults were presented with two rsFC paradigms in a counterbalanced within-subjects design: a traditional static crosshair and Inscapes. Representational similarity analysis revealed robustly similar rsFC patterns between the crosshair and Inscapes conditions, and both were associated with EF (Stroop performance). Children were presented with Inscapes to assess rsFC, and exhibited high compliance using fNIRS. Importantly, rsFC assessed with Inscapes in children was associated with EF (Stroop-like Day-Night Task performance). Age-related differences showed intrinsic functional connections within the PFC strengthening over development. This study uses child-friendly, noninvasive optical neuroimaging and a publicly available rsFC paradigm to elucidate the role of the PFC in EF development, illuminating practical methodological approaches to study the developmental trajectory and neural underpinnings of EF.

Keywords: Executive function; Functional connectivity; Prefrontal cortex; Resting state; fNIRS.

Grants and funding

T32 MH019908/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States