Nature, Published online: 25 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10219-x

fMRI data from individuals of a wide range of ages (from a few days to 100 years old) are used to map the key organizational axes of functional connectivity in the human cortex throughout the lifespan.

Human-specific transcriptomic and regulatory features are present in the cerebellum, with ZP2 playing a key role in synapse regulation. ZP2 expression is induced by pontine mossy fibers, leading to decreased synaptic proteins and neuronal activity, which provides insights into the evolutionary development of the human cerebellum.