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How growing up without siblings affects the adult brain and behaviour in the CHIMGEN cohort

Author

Listed:
  • Jie Tang

    (Tianjin Medical University General Hospital)

  • Jing Zhang

    (Gansu Province Clinical Research Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging
    Lanzhou University Second Hospital)

  • Wei Li

    (Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital)

  • Meiyun Wang

    (Henan Provincial People’s Hospital and Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital)

  • Jingliang Cheng

    (The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University)

  • Bing Zhang

    (Medical School of Nanjing University)

  • Wenzhen Zhu

    (Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Shijun Qiu

    (The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine)

  • Guangbin Cui

    (Air Force Medical University)

  • Yongqiang Yu

    (The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University)

  • Weihua Liao

    (Molecular Imaging Research Center of Central South University
    Central South University
    Central South University)

  • Hui Zhang

    (The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University)

  • Bo Gao

    (The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University
    Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital)

  • Xiaojun Xu

    (The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine)

  • Yunjun Yang

    (The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University)

  • Tong Han

    (Tianjin Huanhu Hospital)

  • Zhenwei Yao

    (Fudan University)

  • Quan Zhang

    (Characteristic Medical Center of Chinese People’s Armed Police Force)

  • Wen Qin

    (Tianjin Medical University General Hospital)

  • Feng Liu

    (Tianjin Medical University General Hospital)

  • Meng Liang

    (Tianjin Medical University)

  • Sijia Wang

    (Tianjin Medical University General Hospital)

  • Qiang Xu

    (Tianjin Medical University General Hospital)

  • Jiayuan Xu

    (Tianjin Medical University General Hospital)

  • Jilian Fu

    (Tianjin Medical University General Hospital)

  • Yuan Ji

    (Tianjin Medical University General Hospital)

  • Nana Liu

    (Tianjin Medical University General Hospital)

  • Peng Zhang

    (Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital)

  • Dapeng Shi

    (Henan Provincial People’s Hospital and Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital)

  • Caihong Wang

    (The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University)

  • Su Lui

    (West China Hospital of Sichuan University)

  • Zhihan Yan

    (The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University)

  • Feng Chen

    (Hainan General Hospital (Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University))

  • Wen Shen

    (Tianjin First Center Hospital)

  • Yanwei Miao

    (The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University)

  • Dawei Wang

    (Qilu Hospital of Shandong University)

  • Junfang Xian

    (Capital Medical University)

  • Xiaochu Zhang

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Kai Xu

    (The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University)

  • Xi-Nian Zuo

    (Beijing Normal University
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Longjiang Zhang

    (Medical School of Nanjing University)

  • Zhaoxiang Ye

    (Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital)

  • Zuojun Geng

    (The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University)

  • Jia-Hong Gao

    (Peking University
    Peking University
    Peking University
    Peking University)

  • Chunshui Yu

    (Tianjin Medical University General Hospital
    Tianjin Medical University)

Abstract

With the worldwide increase in only-child families, it is crucial to understand the effects of growing up without siblings (GWS) on the adult brain, behaviour and the underlying pathways. Using the CHIMGEN cohort, we investigated the associations of GWS with adult brain structure, function, connectivity, cognition, personality and mental health, as well as the pathway from GWS to GWS-related growth environments to brain and to behaviour development, in 2,397 pairs of individuals with and without siblings well matched in covariates. We found associations linking GWS to higher language fibre integrity, lower motor fibre integrity, larger cerebellar volume, smaller cerebral volume and lower frontotemporal spontaneous brain activity. Contrary to the stereotypical impression of associations between GWS and problem behaviours, we found positive correlations of GWS with neurocognition and mental health. Despite direct effects, GWS affects most brain and behavioural outcomes through modifiable environments, such as socioeconomic status, maternal care and family support, suggesting targets for interventions to enhance children’s healthy growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Jie Tang & Jing Zhang & Wei Li & Meiyun Wang & Jingliang Cheng & Bing Zhang & Wenzhen Zhu & Shijun Qiu & Guangbin Cui & Yongqiang Yu & Weihua Liao & Hui Zhang & Bo Gao & Xiaojun Xu & Yunjun Yang & Ton, 2025. "How growing up without siblings affects the adult brain and behaviour in the CHIMGEN cohort," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 9(5), pages 1005-1022, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:9:y:2025:i:5:d:10.1038_s41562-025-02142-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02142-4
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