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Diffusion tensor imaging in frontostriatal tracts is associated with executive functioning in very preterm children
Hanna Kallankari1,2, Virva Saunavaara3,4, Riitta Parkkola5
1PEDEGO Research Unit and Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. hanna.kallankari@oulu.fi.
Insights
Very preterm birth impacts brain development, affecting white matter microstructure in frontostriatal tracts. These microstructural changes in very preterm children may contribute to long-term executive functioning difficulties.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Radiology
Background:
- Very preterm birth can disrupt normal brain maturation.
- This can lead to neurocognitive challenges in high-risk children later in life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess how prematurity affects the microstructure of frontostriatal tracts in children without severe neurological impairment.
- To determine if diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of these tracts correlate with executive functioning.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study included 54 very preterm children and 20 term-born controls.
- Children underwent DTI and neuropsychological assessments at age 9, evaluating executive functions using the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, Second Edition.
- Probabilistic tractography was used to measure DTI metrics in frontostriatal tracts.
Main Results:
- Very preterm children showed significantly higher fractional anisotropy and axial diffusivity in specific frontostriatal tracts compared to term-born children.
- Negative correlations were found between DTI metrics of frontostriatal tracts and inhibition functions in very preterm children.
Conclusions:
- Prematurity exerts a lasting influence on the white matter microstructure of frontostriatal tracts.
- These microstructural alterations may underlie executive functioning deficits observed in very preterm individuals.
Background:
Very preterm birth can disturb brain maturation and subject these high-risk children to neurocognitive difficulties later.
Objective:
The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of prematurity on microstructure of frontostriatal tracts in children with no severe neurologic impairment, and to study whether the diffusion tensor imaging metrics of frontostriatal tracts correlate to executive functioning.
Materials And Methods:
The prospective cohort study comprised 54 very preterm children (mean gestational age 28.8 weeks) and 20 age- and gender-matched term children. None of the children had severe neurologic impairment. The children underwent diffusion tensor imaging and neuropsychological assessments at a mean age of 9 years. We measured quantitative diffusion tensor imaging metrics of frontostriatal tracts using probabilistic tractography. We also administered five subtests from the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, Second Edition, to evaluate executive functioning.
Results:
Very preterm children had significantly higher fractional anisotropy and axial diffusivity values (P<0.05, corrected for multiple comparison) in dorsolateral prefrontal caudate and ventrolateral prefrontal caudate tracts as compared to term-born children. We found negative correlations between the diffusion tensor imaging metrics of frontostriatal tracts and inhibition functions (P<0.05, corrected for multiple comparison) in very preterm children.
Conclusion:
Prematurity has a long-term effect on frontostriatal white matter microstructure that might contribute to difficulties in executive functioning.
