Age-related grey matter changes in preterm infants: an MRI study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Pediatric Neurology

Background:

• Grey matter (GM) maturation in healthy preterm children remains understudied.
• Understanding early brain development is crucial for identifying potential neurodevelopmental deviations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the age-dependent maturation of 116 grey matter areas in preterm infants.
• To characterize the developmental trajectories of grey matter structures in early childhood.

Main Methods:

• Utilized high-resolution 3D MRI (T1-weighted spoiled gradient echo sequence) in 61 preterm infants.
• Employed Voxel Based Morphometry Toolboxes and IBASPM for grey matter segmentation and volume calculation.
• Applied non-linear regression analysis with a monoexponential function to model age-related volume changes.

Main Results:

• Supratentorial grey matter areas generally followed a monoexponential maturation model, unlike cerebellar structures.
• Grey matter volume increase exhibited an inferior-to-superior and posterior-to-anterior progression.
• Specific structures like the putamen, thalamus, and caudate nucleus matured earlier than most cortical areas; distinct patterns of maturation were observed across cortical regions and hemispheric asymmetries.

Conclusions:

• Grey matter development in preterm children is a region-specific process.
• Maturation patterns align with known functional, phylogenetical, and white matter development.
• Findings provide a normative reference for grey matter development in this population.