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April 15th, 2025
Version: 2
University of Oslo
neuroscience
biorxiv

How and when can environmental influences change cerebral cortex? An experimental training study of twins with birth weight differences

Walhovd, K. B.Open in Google Scholar•Brathen, A. C. S.Open in Google Scholar•Overbye, K.Open in Google Scholar•Kransberg, J.Open in Google Scholar•Sorensen, O.Open in Google Scholar•Garrido, P. F.Open in Google Scholar•Amlien, I. K.Open in Google Scholar•Alatrorre-Warren, J.-L.Open in Google Scholar•Mowinckel, A. M.Open in Google Scholar•Falch, E. S.Open in Google Scholaret al.

Determining the timing of influences on the brain through the lifespan is a key challenge. What makes brains of individuals differ and converge? We studied effects of variation in prenatal versus experimental adult environment in twins (68 monozygotic, 35 dizygotic pairs, age 16-79 years), using birth weight discordance as proxy of prenatal environmental differences and navigation training in virtual reality as controlled adult influence. Monozygotic twins had more similar neuroanatomical fingerprints - brainprints- but similarity varied by birth weight discordance, especially for cortical area. Training made monozygotic brains stay similar, even with change, but caused dizygotic brains to diverge, mostly by curvature. Follow-up analyses indicated training increased white matter curvature and area. Thus, in adulthood, early life environmental difference made brains of genetically identical individuals deviate, while environmental influence still interacted with genetics at the grey-white-matter boundary. Distinct cortical features varied with early versus adult environmental differences.

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