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Hippocampal volume and memory and learning outcomes at 7 years in children born very preterm
Cristina Omizzolo1, Deanne K Thompson, Shannon E Scratch
11 Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Insights
Very preterm children showed smaller hippocampal volumes, but this difference vanished after accounting for overall brain size and neonatal issues. Hippocampal volume did not predict memory or learning in these children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Radiology
Background:
- Very preterm birth can impact brain development.
- The hippocampus is crucial for memory and learning.
- Previous studies suggest potential hippocampal volume differences in preterm infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare hippocampal volume in very preterm children versus full-term peers at age 7.
- To investigate the association between hippocampal volume and memory/learning outcomes in very preterm children.
Main Methods:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to assess brain structure.
- Manual segmentation and 3D volumetric analysis quantified hippocampal volume.
- Comparison between 145 very preterm and 34 full-term children at 7 years of age.
Main Results:
- Very preterm children had reduced hippocampal volumes compared to term-born controls.
- This difference was no longer significant after adjusting for whole brain volume and neonatal abnormalities.
- Hippocampal volume did not correlate with memory and learning impairments in the preterm group.
Conclusions:
- Initial hippocampal volume reduction in very preterm children may be related to overall brain size or early abnormalities.
- Hippocampal volume alone is not a reliable predictor of memory and learning deficits at age 7 in this cohort.
- Future research should explore broader neural network effects of preterm birth on cognitive functions.
Abstract:
Using magnetic resonance imaging, this study compared hippocampal volume between 145 very preterm children and 34 children born full-term at 7 years of age. The relationship between hippocampal volume and memory and learning impairments at 7 years was also investigated. Manual hippocampal segmentation and subsequent three-dimensional volumetric analysis revealed reduced hippocampal volumes in very preterm children compared with term peers. However, this relationship did not remain after correcting for whole brain volume and neonatal brain abnormality. Contrary to expectations, hippocampal volume in the very preterm cohort was not related to memory and learning outcomes. Further research investigating the effects of very preterm birth on more extensive networks in the brain that support memory and learning in middle childhood is needed.
