Correlates of Normal and Abnormal General Movements in Infancy and Long-Term Neurodevelopment of Preterm Infants:
Colleen Peyton1,2, Christa Einspieler3, Toril Fjørtoft4,5
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60422, USA.
Insights
Brain connectivity in preterm infants differs based on neurodevelopmental outcomes. Abnormal movements in infancy are linked to altered resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in the brain, potentially predicting future development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Preterm infants (<32 weeks gestation) face heightened risks for neurodevelopmental impairment.
- Abnormal spontaneous motor behavior in early infancy correlates with later neurodevelopmental deficits.
- Understanding brain function differences in preterm infants is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in preterm infants.
- To correlate rsFC with neurodevelopmental assessments at 12-15 weeks and two years corrected age.
- To identify potential biomarkers for neurodevelopmental trajectories in preterm infants.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals at term-equivalent age.
- Assessment of 62 infants born <32 weeks gestation.
- Correlation of rsFC with General Movement Assessment (GMA) and Bayley III scores.
Main Results:
- Infants with aberrant general movements showed decreased rsFC between basal ganglia and parietal/frontotemporal regions.
- Normal cognitive scores at two years were associated with increased rsFC between basal ganglia and parietal/occipital association cortices.
- Normal motor scores correlated with increased rsFC between basal ganglia and visual cortices.
Conclusions:
- Abnormal general movements in preterm infants are linked to specific rsFC alterations at term-equivalent age.
- Decreased rsFC between basal ganglia and cortical regions may serve as a biomarker for neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- rsFC patterns offer insights into the neurodevelopmental trajectory and prognosis of preterm infants.
Abstract:
Preterm infants born before 32 weeks gestation have increased risks for neurodevelopmental impairment at two years of age. How brain function differs between preterm infants with normal or impaired development is unknown. However, abnormal spontaneous motor behavior at 12-15 weeks post-term age is associated with neurodevelopmental impairment. We imaged brain blood oxygen level-dependent signals at term-equivalent age in 62 infants born at <32 weeks gestation and explored whether resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) differed with performances on the General Movement Assessment (GMA) at 12-15 weeks, and Bayley III scores at two years of corrected age. Infants with aberrant general movements exhibited decreased rsFC between the basal ganglia and regions in parietal and frontotemporal lobes. Infants with normal Bayley III cognitive scores exhibited increased rsFC between the basal ganglia and association cortices in parietal and occipital lobes compared with cognitively impaired children. Infants with normal motor scores exhibited increased rsFC between the basal ganglia and visual cortices, compared with children with motor impairment. Thus, the presence of abnormal general movements is associated with region-specific differences in rsFC at term. The association of abnormal long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes with decreased rsFC between basal ganglia and sub-score specific cortical regions may provide biomarkers of neurodevelopmental trajectory and outcome.
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