Longitudinal Structural and Diffusion-Weighted Neuroimaging of Young Children Born Preterm

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Children born preterm face risks for subcortical gray and white matter injury.
• Preterm birth can lead to diffuse brain injury in neonates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine subcortical gray and white matter volumes and white matter tract diffusivity in children born preterm.
• To assess the developmental trajectory of brain structures from ages five to seven in preterm-born children.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal cohort study of 47 preterm and 28 term-born children.
• Structural and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at ages five, six, and seven.
• Analysis of volumes and diffusion measures (fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity) of specific brain structures and white matter tracts.

Main Results:

• Preterm children had smaller volumes in the thalamus, brainstem, cerebellar white matter, cingulum, corticospinal tract, inferior frontal occipital fasciculus, uncinate fasciculus, and temporal superior longitudinal fasciculus.
• Preterm children exhibited larger ventricles compared to term-born controls.
• No significant differences in white matter diffusivity measures were observed between groups.

Conclusions:

• Preterm birth has a lasting effect on early brain development, even without significant neonatal injury.
• Persistent differences in brain structure suggest a delayed developmental trajectory in preterm-born children.
• Group differences in brain development remained consistent across ages five, six, and seven.