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Limited microstructural and connectivity deficits despite subcortical volume reductions in school-aged children born

Anne Elisabeth Sølsnes1, Kam Sripada1, Anastasia Yendiki2

  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.

Neuroimage
|December 30, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Children born preterm with very low birth weight (VLBW) show significant differences in subcortical brain volumes but minimal changes in white matter tract properties compared to term-born peers.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Preterm birth and very low birth weight (VLBW) present global health challenges, leading to long-term cognitive, psychological, and physical issues for survivors.
  • Understanding the neurobiological impact of VLBW is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate structural brain differences, specifically subcortical volumes and white matter tract integrity, in children born preterm with VLBW compared to term-born controls.
  • To assess the relationship between white matter tracts and cortical thickness in these children.

Main Methods:

  • Multimodal structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion MRI (dMRI) were employed in children (mean age 8 years).
  • Subcortical brain volumes, cortical thickness, and diffusion parameters (FA, MD, RD, AD) for 18 white matter tracts were analyzed.
  • Statistical analyses controlled for age, sex, IQ, and estimated total intracranial volume.

Main Results:

  • VLBW subjects exhibited reduced volumes in the thalamus, globus pallidus, corpus callosum, cerebral white matter, ventral diencephalon, and brain stem.
  • The ventricular system was enlarged in VLBW individuals.
  • While whole-tract dMRI analysis showed no significant group differences, pointwise analysis revealed affected segments in forceps minor and the left superior longitudinal fasciculus - temporal bundle.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm VLBW is associated with substantial alterations in subcortical brain structures.
  • White matter tract differences were less pronounced, potentially indicating the positive impact of improved perinatal care on white matter development.
  • No correlation was found between IQ and subcortical volumes or dMRI measures in the VLBW group.

Keywords:
Cohort studyConnectivityDTIDevelopmentPrematureTractography

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