Structural Brain Network Reorganization and Social Cognition Related to Adverse Perinatal Condition from Infancy to...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Adverse fetal conditions can impact neurodevelopment from infancy through adolescence.
• Connectomics offers a method to study brain network evolution over time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the developmental trajectory of brain networks in prematurely born infants with and without intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
• To characterize brain network reorganization in relation to neurodevelopment and cognition.
• To identify associations between brain network metrics and neurobehavioral outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized connectomics to analyze brain network evolution in three cohorts of prematurely born infants (28–35 weeks gestational age) at 1, 6, and 10 years.
• Compared individuals with appropriate birth weight to those with IUGR.
• Evaluated fractional anisotropy (FA)-weighted, normalized, and binary connectomes.

Main Results:

• Identified a common developmental trajectory in brain networks for both control and IUGR groups, with increasing network efficiencies and decreasing connections over time.
• Observed consistent group differences: IUGR subjects showed reduced network efficiencies in FA-weighted and binary connectomes but increased efficiencies in normalized connectomes.
• Found associations between specific brain network metrics and social cognition scores, as well as a higher risk of inattention/hyperactivity and executive functional disorders in IUGR children.

Conclusions:

• Premature birth complicated by IUGR leads to distinct brain network development patterns.
• These network alterations are associated with neurobehavioral impairments, including social cognition deficits and executive function challenges.
• Connectomics provides valuable insights into the long-term neurological consequences of adverse perinatal conditions.