Visual function and EEG reactivity in infants with perinatal brain lesions at 1 year

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pediatric Neurology
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Perinatal brain lesions can impact neurodevelopmental outcomes in term infants.
• Visual impairment is a significant concern in infants with brain injury.
• Understanding the relationship between brain structure, brain activity, and visual function is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between electroencephalography (EEG), visual assessments, and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.
• To determine the predictive value of EEG and MRI for visual function in term infants with perinatal brain lesions at one year of age.

Main Methods:

• Study included 19 term infants with perinatal brain lesions.
• All infants underwent visual acuity and visual field assessments.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) and brain MRI were performed at one year of age.

Main Results:

• Normal optic radiations and occipital cortices on MRI were associated with normal vision in 4 out of 5 infants.
• Visual abnormalities correlated more strongly with EEG findings than with MRI of visual pathways.
• Normal posterior EEG predicted normal vision; EEG non-reactive to eye closure indicated visual abnormalities, irrespective of MRI.

Conclusions:

• Electroencephalography (EEG) activity demonstrates a stronger correlation with visual function than structural MRI of the occipital cortex and optic radiations.
• EEG reactivity, particularly to eye closure, serves as a more reliable indicator of visual outcomes in infants with perinatal brain lesions.
• These findings highlight the importance of EEG in assessing visual prognosis in this vulnerable population.