Although previous studies have investigated brain structural changes across adolescent development, little attention has been paid to the myelination that occurs in the gray matter during this period. We utilized macromolecular proton fraction mapping to investigate myelination of gray and white matter in a cross-sectional sample of 146 adolescents at 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 years of age. Throughout most of the brain, gray matter myelin density was found to increase at a faster rate with age than white matter myelin density. Our findings suggest that gray matter myelination is a significant component of brain maturation during adolescent development.
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