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Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol
Published on: February 18, 2012
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Alterations in EEG functional connectivity in preterm infants: A systematic review
Jiaqi Li1, Chunjie Jiang1, Xin Xu2
1Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai 201102, China.
Early Human Development
|September 5, 2025
Summary
Prematurity alters infant brain network development, impacting functional connectivity and network maturation. These changes, observed via electroencephalography, may have long-term effects on cognitive and motor outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Computational Neuroscience
Background:
- Premature birth (<37 weeks gestation) poses risks to neurodevelopment.
- Early brain network maturation is crucial for long-term cognitive and motor function.
- Electroencephalography (EEG) offers insights into functional brain connectivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- Synthesize evidence on EEG-based functional connectivity in preterm infants.
- Clarify how prematurity affects early brain network maturation.
- Identify patterns of altered brain connectivity in preterm neonates.
Main Methods:
- PRISMA-guided literature search (PubMed, Web of Science).
- Included 24 studies quantifying resting-state functional connectivity or graph-theory metrics.
- Assessed study quality using a six-item EEG-functional connectivity checklist.
Main Results:
- Neonatal functional connectivity varied by frequency band, postmenstrual age, and behavioral state.
- Trends included decreasing delta-band coherence and increasing frontal theta synchrony.
- Preterm infants showed altered network topology, with higher clustering and lower efficiency.
Conclusions:
- Prematurity induces lasting alterations in brain network segregation-integration balance.
- Frequency-specific coupling changes correlate with later cognitive and motor outcomes.
- Methodological heterogeneity and small sample sizes limit cross-study comparisons.
