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

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, Tong Han, Zhenwei Yao, Quan Zhang, Wen Qin, Feng Liu, Meng Liang, Sijia Wang, Qiang Xu, Jiayuan Xu, Jilian Fu, Yuan Ji, Nana Liu, Peng Zhang, Dapeng Shi, Caihong Wang, Su Lui, Zhihan Yan, Feng Chen, Wen Shen, Yanwei Miao, Dawei Wang, Junfang Xian, Xiaochu Zhang, Kai Xu, Xi-Nian Zuo, Longjiang Zhang, Zhaoxiang Ye, Zuojun Geng (), Jia-Hong Gao () and Chunshui Yu ()
Additional contact information
Jie Tang: Tianjin Medical University General Hospital
Jing Zhang: Gansu Province Clinical Research Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging
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
Hui Zhang: The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University
Bo Gao: The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University
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
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
Chunshui Yu: Tianjin Medical University General Hospital

Nature Human Behaviour, 2025, vol. 9, issue 5, 1005-1022

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02142-4

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