There is a need to better understand white matter development across early childhood, as it is a time of rapid brain development that supports ongoing cognitive and behavioral maturation. Here, we aimed to apply NODDI and qihMT techniques longitudinally to provide a more specific understanding of early brain development. Consistent with diffusion MRI research, these advanced diffusion and non-diffusion methods indicated earlier development of central tracts compared to more peripheral regions. NODDI and qiHMT metrics demonstrate that white matter development during early childhood is dominated by increasing axon density, alongside ongoing myelination and slightly decreasing axon coherence.
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