Correlation between fractional anisotropy and motor outcomes in one-year-old infants with periventricular brain
Sangeetha Madhavan1, Suzann K Campbell, Rose Campise-Luther
1Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Insights
Motor outcomes in children with periventricular brain injury (PBI) correlate with white matter integrity. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures at 12 months corrected age (CA) predict motor development, aiding in brain plasticity assessment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Periventricular brain injury (PBI) in infants can lead to significant motor deficits.
- Early motor interventions are crucial for improving outcomes in children with PBI.
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) offers quantitative insights into white matter development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between motor outcomes and fractional anisotropy (FA) measures from DTI.
- To assess the predictive value of DTI-derived FA in children with PBI.
- To evaluate the utility of DTI for monitoring brain plasticity following early intervention.
Main Methods:
- Eight infants with PBI were enrolled and randomized to an exercise intervention or a control group.
- Motor development was assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS).
- Fractional anisotropy (FA) values were extracted from regions of interest in the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and posterior thalamic radiation (PTR) using DTI at 12 months corrected age (CA).
Main Results:
- Significant positive correlations were found between FA in the PLIC and AIMS scores (r=0.82).
- Significant negative correlations were observed between FA in the PLIC and GMFCS scores (r=-0.92).
- Similar strong correlations were noted between FA in the PTR and motor assessments (AIMS: r=0.73; GMFCS: r=-0.80).
Conclusions:
- Quantitative DTI measures of white matter tracts show a strong correlation with motor outcomes in children with PBI.
- FA values derived from DTI at 12 months CA may serve as a reliable biomarker for assessing brain plasticity.
- These findings support the use of DTI for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions and monitoring neurodevelopmental trajectories in infants with PBI.
Purpose:
To determine whether motor outcomes of an exercise intervention beginning at 2 months corrected age (CA) in children with periventricular brain injury (PBI) are correlated with fractional anisotropy (FA) measures derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at 12 months CA.
Materials And Methods:
DTI was performed in eight infants with PBI who were randomly assigned to kicking and treadmill stepping exercise or a no-training condition. Development was assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). FA values were derived from regions of interest (ROIs) in the middle third of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and the posterior thalamic radiation (PTR).
Results:
Significant correlations were observed between motor development and FA measures. For PLIC, the correlation coefficients were 0.82 between FA and AIMS, and -0.92 between FA and GMFCS, while for PTR the corresponding correlation coefficients were 0.73 and -0.80, respectively.
Conclusion:
Results of this study suggest that quantitative evaluation of white matter tracts using DTI at 12 months CA may be useful for assessment of brain plasticity in children.
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