Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 17, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Associations between neonatal brain structure and neurodevelopmental outcomes following very preterm birth
Zeyuan Sun1,2, Yan Ge3,4, Marguerite Leoni5,3
1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom. zeyuan.sun@kcl.ac.uk.
Insights
Very preterm infants with motor delays show reduced cerebellar volume at birth. Structural MRI can help identify very preterm toddlers at risk for motor impairments early on.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurology
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Very preterm (VPT) infants have a higher risk of neurodevelopmental delays.
- Early predictors for specific impairments in VPT infants are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between neonatal brain structure and neurodevelopmental delays in VPT toddlers.
- To identify early biomarkers for neurodevelopmental outcomes in VPT infants.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed term-equivalent T2-weighted MRI scans from 352 VPT infants.
- Assessed neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18-24 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III.
- Employed tensor-based morphometry for voxel-wise whole-brain volume comparisons.
Main Results:
- VPT toddlers with motor delays exhibited significantly reduced left posterior cerebellar volume at term.
- No significant volumetric differences were found for cognitive or language delays.
- Cerebellar volume reduction remained significant after adjusting for other developmental domains.
Conclusions:
- Reduced cerebellar volume at term is linked to motor delay in VPT toddlers.
- The cerebellum plays a crucial role in early motor development.
- Structural MRI is valuable for early risk stratification of neurodevelopmental delays in VPT infants.
Background:
Very preterm (VPT) infants face an elevated risk of neurodevelopmental delays, yet early predictors of specific impairments are poorly understood. This study investigated how neonatal brain structure relates to neurodevelopmental delays in VPT toddlers.
Methods:
We analysed term-equivalent T2-weighted MRI scans from 352 VPT infants. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed at 18-24 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III. We used tensor-based morphometry to compare voxel-wise whole-brain volumes between infants with and without developmental delay.
Results:
Toddlers with motor delays showed significantly reduced volume in the left posterior cerebellum at term compared to those without motor delays, even after adjusting for other domains. No significant volumetric differences were observed for cognitive or language delays.
Conclusion:
Reduced cerebellar volume at term is associated with motor delay in VPT toddlers. These findings highlight the cerebellum's key role in early motor development and the value of structural MRI for early risk stratification.
