DIFFUSION COEFFICIENTS OF THE MAJOR BRAIN TRACTS, FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THE FRONTO-PARIETAL CONTROL NETWORK (RESTING-STATE FMRI) AND PARAMETERS OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS IN YOUNG HEALTHY ADULTS

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between parameters of executive functions and characteristics of underlying structural (parameters of the main brain tracts) and functional (fronto-parietal control network) brain mechanisms in young healthy adults via multimodal approach. The study comprised 16 right-handed subjects, 8 men and 8 women (19-32 years old). Neuropsychological assessment consisted of three tests from Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System battery. Structural, diffusion-weighted, resting-state functional MM was carried out at 3T Philips (Holland) scanner. Poor switching was associated with lower functional connectivity between the components of the fronto-parietal network in temporal and cingulate cortex of the right hemisphere. We also revealed correlations between radial diffusion of anterior thalamic radiation and the speed of color naming in the Stroop test, although it did not pass the correction for multiple comparisons. The statistically significant correlations were found (although did not pass the correction for multiple comparisons) between microstructure of certain brain tracts and relatively simple cognitive characteristic - the speed of color naming in the Stroop test. The findings shed light on the associations between brain structural and functional connectivity and specific components of executive functions in healthy young adults.