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Body growth and brain development in premature babies: an MRI study
Loukia C Tzarouchi1, Aikaterini Drougia, Anastasia Zikou
1Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
Insights
Catch-up growth in premature infants is linked to brain volume recovery in early-maturing areas. Body weight is a key factor influencing white matter microstructure, impacting cognitive functions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Prematurity and intrauterine growth restriction are significant risk factors for neurodevelopmental disabilities.
- Understanding brain development in high-risk infants is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between infant growth status and brain development in premature infants.
- To assess regional brain volume (rBV) and white matter microstructure in relation to growth patterns.
Main Methods:
- Studied 27 premature infants (gestational age 29.8 ± 2.1 weeks) at corrected age (41.2 ± 1.4 weeks).
- Infants categorized into appropriate for gestational age (AGA), small for gestational age with catch-up growth (SGAa), and small for gestational age without catch-up growth (SGAb).
- Utilized MRI scans to segment regional brain volumes and measure fractional anisotropy (FA) in white matter tracts.
Main Results:
- Infants with failure of catch-up growth (SGAb) showed reduced regional brain volumes in superior and anterior brain regions.
- A positive correlation was found between fractional anisotropy (FA) and head circumference and body weight.
- Body weight emerged as the sole significant predictor for FA (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
- Catch-up growth in premature infants is associated with catch-up in regional brain volume, particularly in areas that mature earlier.
- Body weight is a critical predictor of white matter microstructure integrity, influencing brain areas vital for attention, language, cognition, memory, and executive function.
Background:
Prematurity and intrauterine growth restriction are associated with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Objective:
To assess the relationship between growth status and regional brain volume (rBV) and white matter microstructure in premature babies at around term-equivalent age.
Materials And Methods:
Premature infants (n= 27) of gestational age (GA): 29.8 ± 2.1 weeks, with normal brain MRI scans were studied at corrected age: 41.2 ± 1.4 weeks. The infants were divided into three groups: 1) appropriate for GA at birth and at the time of MRI (AGA), 2) small for GA at birth with catch-up growth at the time of MRI (SGAa) and 3) small for GA at birth with failure of catch-up growth at the time of MRI (SGAb). The T1-weighted images were segmented into 90 rBVs using the SPM8/IBASPM and differences among groups were assessed. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured bilaterally in 15 fiber tracts and its relationship to GA and somatometric measurements was explored.
Results:
Lower rBV was observed in SGAb in superior and anterior brain areas. A positive correlation was demonstrated between FA and head circumference and body weight. Body weight was the only significant predictor for FA (P< 0.05).
Conclusion:
In premature babies, catch-up growth is associated with regional brain volume catch-up at around term-equivalent age, starting from the brain areas maturing first. Body weight seems to be a strong predictor associated with WM microstructure in brain areas related to attention, language, cognition, memory and executing functioning.
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