Early development of cortical networks is modulated by Family Nurture Intervention: a multicenter replication study

Prematurity is associated with a high risk of abnormal neurodevelopment, inflicting life-long neurocognitive consequences with major public health importance. This calls for early biomarkers of functional brain development to serve as indicators of the effect of environmental enrichment in neonatal intensive care units (NICU).

Here, we studied whether the previously found functional brain network effects of Family Nurture Intervention (FNI) are replicated in an independent trial, and when these effects arise in early brain development. We compared networks in infants following FNI treatment to infants receiving standard NICU care (SC) and to term-born healthy controls (HC).

We found that the prior network results, i.e. decrease in the strength of phase-based networks of FNI infants, replicated fully within the same site and partially at an external validation site. Moreover, longitudinal tracking of cortical networks disclosed an early divergence of trajectories between FNI and SC groups during the preterm period, resulting in no detectable difference in the functional networks of FNI and HC infants at term age, while the corresponding networks of SC infants showed significant difference.

The findings together support the idea that FNI may modulate early developmental trajectories of cortical networks and mitigate effects of prematurity.

Previously reported brain network effects of Family Nurture Intervention (FNI) replicated fully in an independent trial within the same site and partially at an external validation site. Developmental analysis revealed that FNI lead infants to a different trajectory of brain development compared to infants receiving standard care, resulting in no detectable difference in their functional networks compared to healthy term-born counterparts at term age. The findings together support the idea that FNI may modulate early developmental trajectories of cortical networks and mitigate the effects of prematurity. FNI provides an accessible and cost-effective intervention with potentially substantial global impact.