Navigating Pubertal Goldilocks: The Optimal Pace for Hierarchical Brain Organization

Abstract

Adolescence is a timed process with an onset, tempo, and duration. Nevertheless, the temporal dimension, especially the pace of maturation, remains an insufficiently studied aspect of developmental progression. This study focuses on the modifications due to the different timings of developmental shifts during adolescence and addresses the impact of adolescent maturation on brain development. To reveal potential relationships between pubertal pace and the advancement of brain organisation, we analyse the connection between skeletal age-based maturation stages and hierarchical organisation in the temporal dynamics of resting-state EEG recordings (alpha frequency range). By adopting skeletal maturity as a proxy for pubertal progress and employing entropy production to measure hierarchical brain organisation, our findings indicate that an average maturational trajectory optimally aligns with cerebral hierarchical order. Adaptive developmental plasticity may not fully compensate for accelerated or decelerated timelines, potentially increasing the risk of behavioural problems and psychiatric disorders consequent to such alterations.