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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol
Published on: February 18, 2012
Growth of the corpus callosum in adolescents born preterm
Matthew Allin1, Chiara Nosarti, Ana Narberhaus
1King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Division of Psychological Medicine and Psychiatry, London SE5 8AF, England. matthew.allin@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Insights
Very preterm adolescents show significant corpus callosum growth, which is linked to their neuropsychological function. This enhanced brain development may indicate a delayed maturation process in these individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Preterm birth can impact brain development.
- The corpus callosum is crucial for interhemispheric communication.
- Understanding brain maturation in very preterm individuals is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate corpus callosum growth from adolescence to early adulthood in very preterm (VPT) individuals.
- To correlate this growth with neuropsychological outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal cohort study comparing 72 VPT and 34 term-born individuals.
- MRI scans measured corpus callosum segments in adolescence (age 15) and early adulthood (age 19).
Main Results:
- The VPT group exhibited significantly greater corpus callosum growth (13.4%) compared to the term group (3.3%).
- Adult performance IQ in the VPT group was associated with the growth of anterior, midposterior, and posterior corpus callosum segments.
Conclusions:
- The corpus callosum undergoes substantial growth in very preterm adolescents.
- This growth is associated with neuropsychological outcomes, potentially reflecting delayed maturation.
Objective:
To examine the growth of the corpus callosum between adolescence and early adulthood in individuals who were born before 33 weeks' gestation (very preterm [VPT]) and its relation to neuropsychological function.
Design:
A longitudinal cohort study of VPT individuals born between January 4, 1982, and December 29, 1984, and a term-born comparison group.
Setting:
A long-term follow-up study into perinatal predictors of outcome after preterm birth at University College Hospital, London.
Participants:
A total of 72 VPT and 34 term-born individuals were assessed in adolescence (aged 15 years) and in early adulthood (aged 19 years). Adult assessments took place between June 6, 2002, and October 23, 2004.
Main Exposure:
Birth before 33 weeks' gestation.
Outcome Measure:
The cross-sectional area of 4 segments of the corpus callosum, measured on the midsagittal slice of high-resolution structural magnetic resonance images in adolescence and young adulthood.
Results:
Total corpus callosum size increased in term and VPT groups, but growth was much greater in the VPT group (13.4% in the VPT group vs 3.3% in the term group). There were significant associations between adult performance IQ and growth of anterior (P = .001), midposterior (P = .009), and posterior (P = .009) segments in the VPT group.
Conclusions:
The corpus callosum grows dramatically in VPT adolescents, and this growth is associated with neuropsychological outcome. This may represent a delay of a normal maturational process in VPT individuals.
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