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Published on: January 12, 2018
Very preterm children at risk for developmental coordination disorder have brain alterations in motor areas
Deborah Dewey1,2,3, Deanne K Thompson4,5,6,7, Claire E Kelly4,5
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Insights
Very preterm children at risk for developmental coordination disorder (DCD) show smaller brain volumes and altered white matter. These brain differences persist from infancy to seven years, with no catch-up growth observed.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Very preterm birth (<30 weeks gestation or <1250g) is associated with increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects motor skills and is common in very preterm children.
- Understanding brain development in this at-risk population is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain structure and white matter microstructure in very preterm children at risk for DCD.
- To compare brain development at term equivalent age and seven years.
- To determine if catch-up brain growth occurs in at-risk children.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of infants born very preterm (2001-2003).
- Volumetric MRI at term equivalent age and seven years.
- Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) at seven years.
- Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2) used to identify children at risk for DCD.
Main Results:
- Children at risk for DCD had smaller brain volumes (total brain tissue, cortical grey matter, cerebellum, basal ganglia, thalamus) at term equivalent age and seven years.
- No evidence of catch-up brain growth was observed between infancy and seven years.
- Altered white matter microstructure was evident in motor-related tracts at seven years in at-risk children.
Conclusions:
- Very preterm children at risk for DCD exhibit persistent smaller brain volumes and altered white matter organization.
- These neuroanatomical differences are present early and do not resolve by seven years.
- Findings highlight the need for targeted neurodevelopmental support for very preterm infants at risk for DCD.
Aim:
Brain alterations in very preterm children at risk for developmental coordination disorder were investigated.
Methods:
Infants born very preterm with gestation age <30 weeks or birthweight <1250 g were recruited from Royal Women's Hospital Melbourne from 2001 to 2003. Volumetric imaging was performed at term equivalent age; at seven years, volumetric imaging and diffusion tensor imaging were performed. At seven years, 53 of 162 children without cerebral palsy had scores ≤16th percentile on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition and were considered at risk for developmental coordination disorder.
Results:
At term equivalent age, smaller brain volumes were found for total brain tissue, cortical grey matter, cerebellum, caudate accumbens, pallidum and thalamus in children at risk for developmental coordination disorder (p < 0.05); similar patterns were present at seven years. There was no evidence for catch-up brain growth in at-risk children. At seven years, at-risk children displayed altered microstructural organisation in many white matter tracts (p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Infants born very preterm at risk for developmental coordination disorder displayed smaller brain volumes at term equivalent age and seven years, and altered white matter microstructure at seven years, particularly in motor areas. There was no catch-up growth from infancy to seven years.
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