Microstate Analysis Reflects Maturation of the Preterm Brain.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Preterm neonates face risks of neurodevelopmental impairments due to disrupted brain development.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) offers insights into neonatal brain maturation.
• Microstate (MS) analysis is an emerging technique for evaluating global brain dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the utility of MS analysis in assessing global brain dynamics during maturation in preterm neonates with normal neurodevelopmental outcomes.
• To establish reference data for MS metrics in relation to postmenstrual age.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 135 EEGs from 48 preterm neonates across four age groups (26.4 to 47.7 weeks).
• Extraction of 5-minute epochs during quiet sleep (QS) and non-quiet sleep (NQS).
• Comparison of group-level and individual MS maps and metrics, including topography, transitions, duration, occurrence, and Hurst exponent.

Main Results:

• Four group-level MS maps explained ~70% of global variance, exhibiting non-random syntax.
• Significant changes in MS topographies and transitions were observed around 37 weeks postmenstrual age.
• MS duration decreased and occurrence increased with age, correlating strongly with postmenstrual age (up to r=0.74).
• Hurst exponent of individual MS sequences decreased with age.

Conclusions:

• Observed changes in MS metrics likely reflect neural network formation during preterm brain development.
• MS analysis shows promise as a tool for monitoring preterm neonatal brain maturation.
• This study provides a valuable reference for analyzing EEGs in neonates with abnormal neurodevelopmental outcomes.