Abstract
AbstractApplication of machine learning algorithms to structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) data has yielded behaviorally meaningful estimates of the biological age of the brain (brainage). The choice of the machine learning approach in estimating brain-age in children and adolescents is important because age-related brain changes in these age-groups are dynamic. However, the comparative performance of the multiple machine learning algorithms available has not been systematically appraised. To address this gap, the present study evaluated the accuracy (Mean Absolute Error; MAE) and computational efficiency of 21 machine learning algorithms using sMRI data from 2,105 typically developing individuals aged 5 to 22 years from five cohorts. The trained models were then tested in an independent holdout datasets, comprising 4,078 pre-adolescents (aged 9-10 years). The algorithms encompassed parametric and nonparametric, Bayesian, linear and nonlinear, tree-based, and kernel-based models. Sensitivity analyses were performed for parcellation scheme, number of neuroimaging input features, number of cross-validation folds, and sample size. The best performing algorithms were Extreme Gradient Boosting (MAE of 1.25 years for females and 1.57 years for males), Random Forest Regression (MAE of 1.23 years for females and 1.65 years for males) and Support Vector Regression with Radial Basis Function Kernel (MAE of 1.47 years for females and 1.72 years for males) which had acceptable and comparable computational efficiency. Findings of the present study could be used as a guide for optimizing methodology when quantifying age-related changes during development.HighlightsEnsemble-based algorithms performed best in predicting brain age during developmentSupport vector regression offers optimal prediction accuracy and computational costsA 400-parcel resolution provided the best accuracy and computational efficiency
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory