PLOS Biology · 9 September 2026 · From issue 34
Brain structural and functional connectivity converge prenatally but diverge after birth
Brain wiring and brain activity match closely at birth, then grow apart after birth.
Ruoke Zhao, Mingyang Li et al.
Brain wiring and brain activity match closely right before birth. This match is strongest before birth, then gets weaker after birth as babies grow into toddlers. Motor and vision brain areas develop this match the fastest and stop early. How strong this match is at birth links to a baby's thinking and language skills at 18 months.
Shows when and where brain wiring and activity match most closely during early development.
Brain scan study of babies only, shows links not causes.
Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 20 September 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (PLOS Biology). Read the source
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