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Accelerated postnatal neural conduction in the caudal brainstem in very premature infants born small-for-gestation

Ze Dong Jiang1, Rong Yin2, Cui Wang2

  • 1Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China. jiangzedong-oxshang@hotmail.com.

Pediatric Research
|October 29, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Very premature infants born small-for-gestation (SGA) show accelerated brainstem conduction in caudal regions. While altered auditory pathways at term improve, some abnormalities persist at four months post-term.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Auditory Neuroscience

Background:

  • Investigating postnatal brainstem conduction in very premature infants born small-for-gestation (SGA).
  • Exploring postnatal changes in brainstem conduction in SGA infants from term age onwards.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAER) in very premature SGA infants at four months post-term.
  • To compare brainstem conduction between SGA and non-SGA infants.
  • To evaluate postnatal neurodevelopmental trajectories in SGA infants.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized maximum length sequence brainstem auditory evoked responses (MLS BAER).
  • Studied very premature infants with SGA at four months after term.
  • Compared MLS BAER data with a control group of non-SGA infants.

Main Results:

  • SGA infants exhibited a significantly shorter I-III interval and a higher III-V/I-III interval ratio at higher click rates compared to non-SGA infants (p < 0.05).
  • The slope of the I-III interval-rate function was moderately smaller in SGA infants.
  • Differences between SGA and non-SGA infants were less pronounced than previously observed at term.

Conclusions:

  • Postnatal neural conduction is accelerated in caudal brainstem regions of very premature SGA infants, with normal rostral brainstem conduction.
  • Altered brainstem auditory conduction observed at term in SGA infants mitigates during postnatal development.
  • Despite a positive neurodevelopmental trajectory, moderate abnormalities in brainstem conduction persist at four months post-term in SGA infants.
Abstract

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