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Delayed early developmental trajectories of white matter tracts of functional pathways in preterm-born infants:
Linda Chang1, Kentaro Akazawa2, Robyn Yamakawa1
1Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA.
Insights
This study tracked white matter development in infants using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Findings reveal developmental trajectories of key brain pathways in both term-born and preterm-born infants.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- White matter tracts are crucial for brain function.
- Understanding infant white matter development is vital for identifying potential neurological issues.
- Longitudinal studies provide insights into developmental trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the developmental trajectories of major white matter tracts in infants.
- To compare white matter development between term-born and preterm-born infants.
- To provide DTI-derived scalar values for future research.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used.
- Probabilistic maps of white matter pathways were applied.
- MR scans were acquired at three time points in term-born and preterm-born infants.
Main Results:
- DTI-derived scalar values (fractional anisotropy, eigenvalues, radial diffusivity) were collected.
- Data captures developmental changes in white matter tracts.
- The study provides a dataset for analyzing infant brain development.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully mapped white matter development in infants.
- The collected data enables further investigation into neurodevelopmental trajectories.
- This research contributes to understanding brain maturation in early life.
Abstract:
Probabilistic maps of white matter pathways related to motor, somatosensory, auditory, visual, and limbic functions, and major white matter tracts (the corpus callosum, the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and the middle cerebellar peduncle) were applied to evaluate the developmental trajectories of these tracts, using longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) obtained in term-born and preterm-born healthy infants. Nineteen term-born and 30 preterm-born infants completed MR scans at three time points: Time-point 1, 41.6±2.7 postmenstrual weeks; Time-point 2, 46.0±2.9 postmenstrual weeks; and Time-point 3, 50.8±3.7 postmenstrual weeks. The DTI-derived scalar values (fractional anisotropy, eigenvalues, and radial diffusivity) of the three time points are available in this Data article.
