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Updated: May 12, 2026
Non-invasive Optical Measurement of Cerebral Metabolism and Hemodynamics in Infants
Published on: March 14, 2013
Microstructural brain and multivoxel spectroscopy in very low birth weight infants related to insulin-like growth
Cecilia Okuma1, M Isabel Hernández, Pablo Rodríguez
1Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Institute of Maternal and Child Research, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Insights
Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants show altered brain development compared to healthy controls. These neurodevelopmental differences in VLBW children are linked to early growth factors and changes in the first year.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants face increased risks of neurological disabilities.
- Growth factors are critical for optimal brain maturation in early development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare neurological, psychometric, and brain morphology in 1-year-old VLBW infants versus term controls.
- To investigate the relationship between observed brain differences and hormonal/growth changes in VLBW infants.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 34 VLBW infants (including small for gestational age) and 10 healthy term controls.
- Assessments at 1 year included anthropometry, blood analysis (IGF-I, IGF-II, leptin, glucose, insulin), neurological examination, and brain imaging (MRI, spectroscopy).
Main Results:
- VLBW infants exhibited reduced gray and white matter volume and fractional anisotropy in multiple brain regions.
- Abnormal brain spectroscopy was noted in VLBW infants compared to controls.
- Brain changes correlated with first-year growth patterns and levels of insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I, IGF-II), leptin, and HOMA-IR.
Conclusions:
- VLBW infants display distinct brain volumes and microstructural morphology compared to term infants.
- These brain alterations are associated with circulating growth factors and anthropometric changes during the first year of life.
- The findings highlight opportunities to study the links between early brain reorganization, growth, and potential cognitive/social impairments.
Background:
Very low birth weight (VLBW) children have higher risk of neurologic disabilities and growth factors are essential for brain maturation.
Aim:
To assess whether there are differences in neurologic findings, psychometric parameters and microstructural brain morphology in 1-year-old VLBW infants versus term healthy controls and whether these differences are related to hormonal/growth changes.
Methods:
Prospective anthropometry, prefeed venous blood sample [insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II), leptin, glucose], neurologic and imaging assessment, at age 1 year in 34 VLBW infants (12 SGA; 10 M) and 10 healthy term controls (5 M).
Results:
IGF-I concentrations at 1 month of corrected age were 20% lower in SGA versus appropriate for gestational age VLBW (p < 0.02). Gray and white matter volume and fractional anisotropy in 15/27 regions were decreased (p < 0.001). Abnormal spectroscopy was observed in 4 zones in VLBW versus term controls (p < 0.001). Some of these changes were associated with different periods of first-year growth and IGF-I/IGF-II, leptin and HOMA-IR.
Conclusions:
VLBW infants show differences in brain volumes and microstructural brain morphology as compared to term controls, changes related to circulating growth factor and anthropometry changes in the first year. This apparent reorganization of the developing brain offers a unique opportunity to investigate the relationship between changes in cortical anatomy, cognitive and social impairments and periods of early growth.
