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Cortical morphometry and cognition in very preterm and term-born children at early school age

Ines Mürner-Lavanchy1, Christian Rummel2, Maja Steinlin3

  • 1Division of Neuropediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Children's University Hospital, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland; Support Center for Advanced Neuroimaging (SCAN), University Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland.

Early Human Development
|November 28, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Very preterm birth impacts brain structure and cognitive development. The relationship between brain morphometry and cognition differs significantly in very preterm children compared to term-born peers.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Very preterm birth (<32 weeks gestation) can alter brain development, potentially affecting cognitive functions.
  • Understanding the relationship between brain structure and cognitive outcomes in these children is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structure-function relationship between cortical morphometry and cognition in school-aged very preterm children and term-born controls.
  • To identify differences in brain-cognition correlations between the two groups.

Main Methods:

  • Neuropsychological testing administered to 41 very preterm and 30 term-born children (ages 7-12).
  • Cortical thickness and surface area measured using FreeSurfer from T1-weighted MRI scans.
  • Statistical analysis to compare morphometry and cognition and their interrelations.

Main Results:

  • Global cortical thickness in the right hemisphere was greater in very preterm children than controls.
  • No significant differences in cortical surface area were observed between groups.
  • The correlation between cortical morphometry and cognitive domains varied significantly between very preterm and control children, with both positive and negative associations found in the preterm group.

Conclusions:

  • The structure-function relationship in the brain differs between very preterm and term-born children.
  • These differences are region-specific and dependent on the cognitive function assessed.
  • Findings highlight unique developmental trajectories in very preterm individuals.

Keywords:
CognitionCortical surface areaCortical thicknessMorphometryPreterm

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