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Updated: Oct 3, 2025
A Within-subjects Experimental Protocol to Assess the Effects of Social Input on Infant EEG
Published on: May 3, 2017
Neonatal amygdala resting-state functional connectivity and socio-emotional development in very preterm children
Dana Kanel1, Lucy D Vanes1, Gareth Ball1
1Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Imaging Sciences & Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
Insights
Very preterm children
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Very preterm children often face socio-emotional challenges compared to term-born peers.
- These difficulties may stem from altered limbic system development during early extrauterine adaptation.
- The amygdala is crucial for socio-emotional development and emotion regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if amygdala resting-state functional connectivity in infancy predicts socio-emotional outcomes in childhood.
- To test the hypothesis linking neonatal amygdalar connectivity to later socio-emotional development in very preterm infants.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional MRI was performed on 129 very preterm infants at term-equivalent age.
- Seed-based functional connectivity analysis focused on the left and right amygdalae.
- Socio-emotional outcomes (Emotion Moderation, Social Function, Empathy) were assessed at 4-7 years.
Main Results:
- Neonatal right amygdala connectivity with the right parahippocampal gyrus and middle occipital gyrus correlated with childhood Emotion Moderation scores.
- Left amygdala connectivity with the right thalamus also associated with Emotion Moderation.
- No significant links were found between amygdalar connectivity and Social Function or Empathy.
Conclusions:
- Amygdala functional connectivity in the neonatal period is associated with specific socio-emotional outcomes in very preterm children.
- These findings highlight the early developmental trajectory of socio-emotional processing in this vulnerable population.
- Neonatal brain connectivity may serve as an early indicator for socio-emotional difficulties.
Abstract:
Very preterm children are more likely to exhibit difficulties in socio-emotional processing than their term-born peers. Emerging socio-emotional problems may be partly due to alterations in limbic system development associated with infants' early transition to extrauterine life. The amygdala is a key structure in this system and plays a critical role in various aspects of socio-emotional development, including emotion regulation. The current study tested the hypothesis that amygdala resting-state functional connectivity at term-equivalent age would be associated with socio-emotional outcomes in childhood. Participants were 129 very preterm infants (<33 weeks' gestation) who underwent resting-state functional MRI at term and received a neurodevelopmental assessment at 4-7 years (median = 4.64). Using the left and right amygdalae as seed regions, we investigated associations between whole-brain seed-based functional connectivity and three socio-emotional outcome factors which were derived using exploratory factor analysis (Emotion Moderation, Social Function and Empathy), controlling for sex, neonatal sickness, post-menstrual age at scan and social risk. Childhood Emotion Moderation scores were significantly associated with neonatal resting-state functional connectivity of the right amygdala with right parahippocampal gyrus and right middle occipital gyrus, as well as with functional connectivity of the left amygdala with the right thalamus. No significant associations were found between amygdalar resting-state functional connectivity and either Social Function or Empathy scores. The current findings show that amygdalar functional connectivity assessed at term is associated with later socio-emotional outcomes in very preterm children.
