Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026
State of the Art Cranial Ultrasound Imaging in Neonates
Published on: February 2, 2015
Functional MRI of visual cortex in sedated 18 month-old infants with or without periventricular leukomalacia
Sie LTL1, S A Rombouts, I J Valk
1Department of Child Neurology, University Hospital, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is feasible in sedated infants for visual cortex evaluation. Findings in infants differ from adults, likely due to sedation and visual system immaturity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Pediatric Neurology
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) can affect brain development in infants.
- Understanding visual cortex function in infants is crucial for early detection of neurological abnormalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in sedated infants.
- To investigate visual cortex activation patterns in infants with and without PVL.
Main Methods:
- fMRI was performed on 42 sedated 18-month-old infants.
- Visual stimulation was used to elicit responses in the visual cortex.
- MRI scans were analyzed for signal changes and PVL presence.
Main Results:
- fMRI was feasible in 28 of 42 infants; 18 showed significant visual cortex activation.
- The typical response was a signal decrease in the anterior visual cortex.
- fMRI response frequency was similar in infants with and without PVL.
Conclusions:
- fMRI is a feasible tool for studying infant visual cortex function.
- Observed fMRI responses differ from adult patterns, suggesting effects of sedation and immaturity.
- Further research is needed to establish the clinical relevance of infant fMRI.
Abstract:
Functional MRI (fMRI) of the visual cortex was evaluated in 42 sedated 18-month-old infants (mean corrected age; 31 males, 11 females) with or without periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). Data from 14 infants could not be evaluated because of movement artefacts. Ten of the remaining 28 infants showed no significant fMRI response upon visual stimulation. In 18 infants, a significant signal change upon stimulation was found in the visual cortex: in 17 a signal decrease and in one a signal increase. Functional changes were located mainly in the anterior part of the visual cortex. Seven of the 28 infants had normal MRI and 21 showed variable occipital PVL. An fMRI response was equally frequent in infants without PVL (4 of 7 infants) and with PVL (14 of 21 infants). In conclusion, fMRI was shown to be feasible in sedated infants. No correlation was found between functional activation and the presence or absence of occipital PVL. Type of fMRI response (signal decrease) and localization (anterior part of the visual cortex) are different from those seen in adults, probably reflecting a combination of sedation effects and immaturity of the visual system. At present, fMRI is a highly promising research tool; its clinical relevance still has to be established.
