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Neurobehavioral Assessments in a Mouse Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Injury
Published on: November 24, 2017
Motor outcome at the age of one after perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
P E M van Schie1, J G Becher, A J Dallmeijer
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. pem.vanschie@vumc.nl
Insights
Neonatal brain MRI is not a reliable predictor of motor outcomes in term infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Motor assessments and neurological exams are crucial for evaluating development in these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) affects full-term infants, potentially impacting motor development.
- Assessing motor outcomes in infants with HIE is critical for early intervention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the motor outcomes of one-year-old children born at full-term with HIE.
- To investigate the relationship between motor ability tests, neurological examinations, and neonatal brain MRI findings at one year of age.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 32 surviving full-term infants with perinatal HIE was studied.
- Motor ability was assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale and Bayley Scales of Infant Development (2nd ed).
- Neurological examinations included the neurological optimality score (NOS); neonatal brain MRI was performed.
Main Results:
- At one year, 44% of children had normal motor ability, 28% had mild delay, and 28% had significant delay.
- While children with normal motor ability generally had optimal NOS, high NOS did not guarantee normal motor function.
- Neonatal MRI findings did not consistently predict motor outcome; some infants with normal MRI had delayed motor skills, and vice versa.
Conclusions:
- Neonatal brain MRI is not a reliable predictor of one-year motor outcome in term infants with HIE.
- Complementary use of motor ability tests and neurological examinations is recommended for comprehensive outcome assessment after HIE.
Objective:
The aim of this report is to describe the motor outcome in one year-old children who were born at full-term with perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Relationships between motor ability tests and neurological examination at one year, and between these tests and neonatal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were investigated.
Participants And Methods:
32 surviving children, born full-term with perinatal HIE, are included in this report. All children had a neonatal MRI. At one year, motor ability was assessed with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (2nd version). Neurological examinations included the neurological optimality score (NOS).
Results:
At one year, 14 children (44%) had normal motor ability, nine (28%) had mildly delayed, and nine had significantly delayed motor ability. The NOS ranged from 14.6-27 points. All children with normal motor ability had (near) optimal NOS, however, not all children with high NOS had normal motor ability. Eleven children (34%) had normal neonatal MRI; at one year, six of them had normal, and five had mildly delayed motor ability. Eight children with normal motor ability showed abnormalities on neonatal MRI.
Conclusion:
Neonatal brain MRI does not predict motor outcome at one year. Motor ability tests and neurological examinations should be used in a complementary manner to describe outcome after HIE.
