Maternal Postsecondary Education Associated With Improved Cerebellar Growth After Preterm Birth

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Preterm birth (<32 weeks) poses risks to cerebellar development, potentially impacting long-term outcomes.
• The cerebellum's vulnerability in preterm infants necessitates understanding factors influencing its growth.
• Early life factors may modulate the trajectory of cerebellar development post-preterm birth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between parental education and cerebellar volume in preterm infants.
• To assess how parental education influences cerebellar growth from term-equivalent age to 2 years.
• To determine if parental education acts as a confounder in the relationship between early cerebellar volume and later growth.

Main Methods:

• Serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed on preterm newborns.
• Cerebellar volumes were measured at term-equivalent age and 2 years.
• Statistical analyses assessed the association between parental education and cerebellar volumes, adjusting for scan age.

Main Results:

• Cerebellar volume at term-equivalent age, but not at birth, predicted 2-year volumes.
• A 1 cm³ decrease in term cerebellar volume correlated with a 3.18 cm³ decrease by 2 years.
• Maternal postsecondary education was not directly associated with term cerebellar volume but significantly influenced 2-year volumes, indicating a confounding effect.

Conclusions:

• Preterm birth is associated with smaller cerebellar volumes at term-equivalent age.
• Maternal postsecondary education is linked to improved cerebellar growth trajectories in preterm infants by age 2.
• Parental education may play a protective role in mitigating the long-term neurodevelopmental consequences of preterm birth.