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Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
Published on: October 13, 2023
Brain functional network connectivity development in very preterm infants: The first six months
1Center for Perinatal Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.
Insights
Resting-state fMRI in very preterm infants shows developing brain networks. Functional connectivity increases from 32 to 52 weeks postmenstrual age, offering potential for early deficit prediction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Very preterm birth (≤32 weeks gestational age) affects nearly 10% of US infants.
- Cognitive and behavioral deficits impact up to 35% of very preterm survivors.
- Early diagnosis of these deficits is challenging, often requiring childhood assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain functional network development in very preterm infants using resting-state fMRI.
- To assess changes in functional connectivity from early infancy to later postmenstrual age.
- To explore the potential of resting-state fMRI for early prognostication of neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Enrolled a cohort of very preterm infants shortly after birth.
- Acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data at 32, 39, and 52 weeks postmenstrual age.
- Utilized group probabilistic independent component analysis to identify resting-state networks (visual, auditory, motor, somatosensory, cerebellum, brainstem, subcortical gray matter, default mode, executive control, frontoparietal).
Main Results:
- Identified 10 distinct resting-state brain networks.
- Observed significant increases in functional connectivity strength over time (32 to 52 weeks postmenstrual age).
- Specific networks showing increased connectivity include auditory, somatosensory, visual, subcortical gray matter, executive control, and frontoparietal.
Conclusions:
- Resting-state fMRI reveals dynamic development of brain functional networks in very preterm infants.
- Increasing functional connectivity suggests ongoing maturation of neural circuits.
- Further research with neurodevelopmental follow-up is necessary to validate these findings as prognostic biomarkers for long-term cognitive and behavioral deficits.
Abstract:
Nearly 10% of premature infants are born very preterm at 32weeks gestational age or less in the United States. Up to 35% of these very preterm survivors are at risk for cognitive and behavioral deficits. Yet accurate diagnosis of such deficits cannot be made until early childhood. Resting-state fMRI provides noninvasive assessment of the brain's functional networks and is a promising tool for early prognostication. In our present study, we enrolled a cohort of very preterm infants soon after birth and performed resting state fMRI at 32, 39 and additionally at 52weeks postmenstrual age. Using group probabilistic independent component analysis, we identified the following resting-state networks: visual, auditory, motor, somatosensory, cerebellum, brainstem, subcortical gray matter, default mode, executive control, and frontoparietal network. We observed increasing functional connectivity strength from 32 to 52weeks postmenstrual age for the auditory, somatosensory, visual, subcortical gray matter, executive control, and frontoparietal networks. Future studies with neurodevelopmental follow-up are needed to potentially identify prognostic biomarkers of long-term cognitive and behavioral deficits.
