Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 3, 2026
Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Altered resting-state functional connectivity in children and adolescents born very preterm short title
Flavia M Wehrle1, Lars Michels2, Roman Guggenberger3
1Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland; Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Insights
Very preterm birth impacts brain network organization in school-aged children, affecting functional connectivity globally. These long-lasting brain alterations did not correlate with cognitive deficits in this study.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Very preterm birth significantly affects resting-state functional network formation in infancy.
- Previous research focused on specific networks (e.g., language) and yielded mixed findings on functional connectivity in older preterm individuals.
- The global impact of very preterm birth on resting-state network connectivity and its relation to cognitive deficits remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate global alterations in resting-state functional connectivity across multiple networks in school-aged children and adolescents born very preterm.
- To explore the relationship between altered functional connectivity and cognitive functions, including IQ and executive functions.
- To determine if very preterm birth has long-lasting effects on brain network organization.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess functional connectivity.
- A cohort of 32 school-aged children and adolescents born very preterm (with normal intellectual and motor abilities) and 39 healthy term-born controls were studied.
- Functional connectivity within and between established resting-state networks was compared; IQ and executive functions were assessed using standardized tests.
Main Results:
- Reduced functional connectivity was observed in the very preterm group within the sensorimotor and central executive networks, and between the sensorimotor and visual/dorsal attention networks.
- Increased functional connectivity was found in the very preterm group between the sensorimotor network and parts of the salience and central executive networks.
- Little evidence supported a link between these observed connectivity alterations and lower IQ or poorer executive function abilities.
Conclusions:
- Very preterm birth leads to enduring alterations in the organization of resting-state functional brain networks in school-aged individuals.
- These widespread connectivity changes suggest a long-term impact of preterm birth on neural organization.
- Further research is needed to understand the consequences of these neurodevelopmental alterations on other cognitive domains.
Abstract:
The formation of resting-state functional networks in infancy has been reported to be strongly impacted by very preterm birth. Studies in childhood and adolescence have largely focused on language processing networks and identified both decreased and increased functional connectivity. It is unclear, however, whether functional connectivity strength is altered globally in children and adolescents born very preterm and whether these alterations are related to the frequently occurring cognitive deficits. Here, resting-state functional MRI was assessed in a group of 32 school-aged children and adolescents born very preterm with normal intellectual and motor abilities and 39 healthy term-born peers. Functional connectivity within and between a comprehensive set of well-established resting-state networks was compared between the groups. IQ and executive function abilities were tested with standardized tasks and potential associations with connectivity strength were explored. Functional connectivity was weaker in the very preterm compared to the term-born group between the sensorimotor network and the visual and dorsal attention network, within the sensorimotor network and within the central executive network. In contrast, functional connectivity was stronger in the very preterm group between the sensorimotor network and parts of the salience and the central executive network. Little evidence was found that these alterations underlie lower IQ or poorer executive function abilities. This study provides evidence for a long-lasting impact of very preterm birth on the organization of resting-state networks. The potential consequence of these alterations for other neurodevelopmental domains than the ones investigated in the current study warrants further investigation.
Related Concept Videos
02:44The Born-Haber Cycle
01:17Functions of Connective Tissues
Hard connective tissues, such as bones and cartilage, provide structure and support to the body.
01:21The Resting Membrane Potential
01:24Resting Membrane Potential
The Inside of a Neuron is More Negative
The membrane potential of a cell can be measured by inserting a microelectrode into a cell and comparing the charge to a reference electrode in the extracellular fluid. The...
01:15Resting Potential Decay
At rest, the K+ is the main ion that moves across the membrane...
01:18Cognitive Development During Adolescence