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Relationship between very early brain structure and neuromotor, neurological and neurobehavioral function in infants

Joanne M George1, Simona Fiori2, Jurgen Fripp3

  • 1Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, Centre for Children's Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Early Human Development
|January 18, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Structural brain MRI in very preterm infants is linked to motor and neurological function. Early and term-equivalent age MRI findings correlate with neurobehavioral assessments, highlighting the importance of brain development monitoring.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Neurology
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Pediatric Neuroimaging

Background:

  • Very preterm infants face risks of neurodevelopmental impairments.
  • Early detection and monitoring of brain development are crucial for timely intervention.
  • Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers insights into brain development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the associations between brain structure visualized via MRI and concurrent motor, neurological, and neurobehavioral outcomes in very preterm infants.
  • To assess these associations at two key time points: early (30-32 weeks postmenstrual age) and term equivalent age.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective cohort study involving very preterm infants.
  • Structural MRI scans were acquired at early (median 32 weeks PMA) and term equivalent (median 40 weeks PMA) ages.
  • Brain structures (white matter, gray matter, cerebellum) were scored for abnormalities, and correlated with clinical assessments including General Movements (GMs), Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination (HNNE), NICU Neonatal Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS), Premie-Neuro, and Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP).

Main Results:

  • Early MRI revealed strong associations between cerebellar scores and neurological aspects of HNNE, NNNS, Premie-Neuro, and GMs.
  • Term MRI showed significant correlations between white matter and global brain scores with the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP).
  • These findings demonstrate a clear link between specific brain structural abnormalities and functional outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Brain structure, as assessed by early and term-equivalent age MRI, is significantly associated with concurrent motor, neurological, and neurobehavioral function in very preterm infants.
  • MRI provides valuable information for understanding neurodevelopmental trajectories in this vulnerable population.
  • These associations underscore the utility of neuroimaging in predicting and understanding functional outcomes in preterm infants.
Abstract

Keywords:
Magnetic resonance imagingNeurobehaviourNeurologicalNeuromotorPreterm

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