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Does the brain regenerate after perinatal infarction?
M A Rutherford1, J M Pennock, F M Cowan
1Department of Paediatrics and Neonatal Medicine, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
Insights
Brain growth after perinatal infarction shows significant recovery. Undamaged brain tissue can grow into the infarcted area, aiding in the developing brain
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Perinatal infarction can impact infant brain development.
- Assessing brain growth post-infarction is crucial for understanding recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate brain growth following perinatal infarction in infants.
- To investigate the role of brain plasticity in recovery.
Main Methods:
- Serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were used.
- Three-dimensional volume acquisition and image registration were performed.
- Image subtraction quantified brain growth between scans.
Main Results:
- Early infarction showed low signal areas with defined margins.
- Later, brain growth occurred at infarct margins, reducing infarct size.
- Growth rates into the infarcted area varied compared to surrounding brain.
Conclusions:
- Brain growth into infarcted areas is a key recovery mechanism.
- Undamaged tissue growth may facilitate neuroplasticity and functional recovery.
- This study highlights the brain's adaptive capacity after perinatal injury.
Abstract:
We have used registered serial magnetic resonance scans to assess the growth of the brain after perinatal infarction in six infants. The initial scans were performed at ages of 4 days to 8 weeks and follow-up studies were performed from 4 days to 21 weeks later. A three-dimensional volume acquisition was performed on each occasion. Rigid body translations and rotations were used to match the images obtained on each occasion. Subtraction of the first image from the second then provided an assessment of the growth of the brain that had occurred between the two examinations. In the early phase of infarction (up to 2 months) low signal areas with clearly defined margins developed at the site of infarction. In the late phase (2 months onwards) growth was seen in the brain at the margins of the infarct in each case, and the size of the infarcted region showed a marked decrease in size. The rate of growth of the brain into the infarcted area exceeded that of the surrounding brain in some cases and was less in others. Growth of undamaged tissue may provide an important mechanism for recovery of the developing brain.