Disruption of functional network development in children with prenatal Zika virus exposure revealed by resting-state
Ahmet Omurtag1, Samah Abdulbaki2, Thomas Thesen3,4
1Department of Engineering, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK. ahmet.omurtag@ntu.ac.uk.
Insights
Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure in pregnancy can harm infant brain development. Resting-state EEG revealed altered brain synchrony in ZIKV-exposed children, indicating potential neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Virology
Background:
- Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy poses risks for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants, collectively termed Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome.
- These outcomes include microcephaly, epilepsy, and neurocognitive deficits, highlighting the critical impact of prenatal ZIKV exposure on the developing brain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of prenatal Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure on infant brain development using resting-state electroencephalography (EEG).
- To assess differences in brain synchrony and frequency band power between ZIKV-exposed and unexposed infants and their correlation with age.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state EEG recordings were obtained from 28 ZIKV-exposed and 16 unexposed children aged 23-27 months.
- Analysis focused on group differences in frequency band power and Inter-Site Phase Coherence (ISPC), a measure of brain synchrony.
Main Results:
- A significant difference in ISPC was found between groups (p < 0.05, Bonferroni corrected), with lower median ISPC in ZIKV-exposed children (0.07) compared to unexposed children (0.15).
- Normal brain maturation patterns, characterized by strengthening distal high-frequency and weakening proximal lower-frequency connectivity, were attenuated in ZIKV-exposed infants.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal ZIKV exposure is associated with altered functional brain network development in infants.
- Resting-state EEG can detect and quantify neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities in children exposed to Zika virus in utero.
Abstract:
Children born to mothers infected by Zika virus (ZIKV) during pregnancy are at increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes including microcephaly, epilepsy, and neurocognitive deficits, collectively known as Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome. To study the impact of ZIKV on infant brain development, we collected resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) recordings from 28 normocephalic ZIKV-exposed children and 16 socio-demographically similar but unexposed children at 23-27 months of age. We assessed group differences in frequency band power and brain synchrony, as well as the relationship between these metrics and age. A significant difference (p < 0.05, Bonferroni corrected) in Inter-Site Phase Coherence was observed: median Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.15 in unexposed children and 0.07 in ZIKV-exposed children. Results showed that functional brain networks in the unexposed group were developing rapidly, in part by strengthening distal high-frequency and weakening proximal lower frequency connectivity, presumably reflecting normal synaptic growth, myelination and pruning. These maturation patterns were attenuated in the ZIKV-exposed group, suggesting that ZIKV exposure may contribute to neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities that can be detected and quantified by resting-state EEG.
