Cerebellar Functional Connectivity in Term- and Very Preterm-Born Infants

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Pediatric Imaging

Background:

• Resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) reveals cortical networks in infants.
• Adult studies show cerebellar involvement in cerebral networks, but early cerebellar connectivity is understudied.
• The cerebellum's role in early brain development is increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate early cortico-cerebellar functional connectivity in human infants.
• To compare infant and adult cortico-cerebellar functional connectivity patterns.
• To examine the impact of prematurity on early cerebellar connectivity.

Main Methods:

• Acquired non-sedated rs-fMRI data from 57 healthy term-born infants and 20 very preterm infants within the first week of life.
• Conducted seed correlation analyses using cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions of interest.
• Compared infant data with rs-fMRI data from 100 healthy adults.

Main Results:

• Cortico-cerebellar functional connectivity is well-established by term-equivalent age in infants.
• Infant and adult cortico-cerebellar connectivity patterns were largely similar, with infants exhibiting greater intra-cerebellar connectivity.
• Prematurity was associated with reduced connectivity magnitudes but not altered topography.

Conclusions:

• The cerebellum plays a significant role in early brain development, with established cortico-cerebellar functional connectivity by term.
• Infants display distinct patterns of cerebellar functional organization compared to adults.
• Understanding these early connectivity patterns is crucial for assessing neurodevelopmental trajectories.