Relationship Between Early Functional and Structural Brain Developments and Brain Injury in Preterm Infants

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Emerging research suggests a link between early brain function and morphology.
• The hypothesis posits that enhanced brain activity promotes structural development and myelination through neuronal excitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between early and serial electroencephalography (aEEG) maturational features in preterm infants and MRI metrics of structural brain development and injury.
• To determine if established EEG maturational features correlate with postmenstrual age (PMA).

Main Methods:

• 106 extremely preterm infants underwent bedside aEEGs from birth to 5 weeks and 3T-MRIs at 30 weeks PMA and term.
• EEG maturation was assessed using spectral content, continuity (spontaneous activity transients % [SAT%] and interburst interval [IBI]), and complexity.
• MRI data included automated segmentation for volume assessment and an MRI score; relationships between EEG and MRI measures were analyzed.

Main Results:

• EEG complexity and SAT% positively correlated with PMA, while IBI showed an inverse association.
• EEG complexity correlated with cerebellar size at 30 weeks PMA; event-based measures related to cerebellar size at term.
• Higher relative power in higher EEG frequency bands inversely correlated with cerebellar width, cortical grey matter, and total brain volume at term.

Conclusions:

• EEG continuity and complexity increase with postnatal age in preterm infants.
• Enhanced EEG complexity and event-based features are associated with cerebellar growth, a key developmental structure in preterm infants.
• Early brain activity plays a crucial role in subsequent structural brain development.