Chunk #32 — Discussion — rs-fcMRI may reflect an interaction between the maturing neural substrate and the use of efficient pathways for general task completion — Changes in the neural substrate over development may lead to more efficient neural pathways for general task completion
Considering the continually changing nature of the neural substrate over development, a context for changes in rs-fcMRI can be created. For instance, as previously mentioned, increased signal propagation through the addition of a myelin sheath likely allows for more efficient communication between distant regions [22],[32],[34],[76]. Such facilitated communication may promote interactions between brain regions that, previously, had substantially less efficient communication, allowing for a more effective “solution” to any particular set of processing demands. In addition, as new, more efficient, pathways become prominent, older inefficient connections likely decrease in use, leading to experience/activity-dependent decreases of specific area-area connection strengths.
