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Trimarco E, Jafrasteh B, Jiménez-Luque N, Marín Almagro Y, Román Ruiz M, Lubián Gutiérrez M, Ruiz González E, Segado Arenas A, Lubián-López SP, Benavente-Fernández I. Thalamic volume in very preterm infants: associations with severe brain injury and neurodevelopmental outcome at two years. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1427273. [PMID: 39206295 PMCID: PMC11349527 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1427273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Several studies demonstrate the relationship between preterm birth and a reduced thalamus volume at term-equivalent age. In contrast, this study aims to investigate the link between the thalamic growth trajectory during the early postnatal period and neurodevelopment at two years of age. Methods Thalamic volume was extracted from 84 early MRI scans at postmenstrual age of 32.33 (± 2.63) weeks and 93 term-equivalent age MRI scans at postmenstrual age of 42.05 (± 3.33) weeks of 116 very preterm infants (56% male) with gestational age at birth of 29.32 (± 2.28) weeks and a birth weight of 1158.92 (± 348.59) grams. Cognitive, motor, and language outcomes at two years of age were assessed with Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development Third Edition. Bivariate analysis was used to describe the clinical variables according to neurodevelopmental outcomes and multilevel linear regression models were used to examine the impact of these variables on thalamic volume and its relationship with neurodevelopmental outcomes. Results The results suggest an association between severe brain injury and thalamic growth trajectory (β coef = -0.611; p < 0.001). Moreover, thalamic growth trajectory during early postnatal life was associated with the three subscale scores of the neurodevelopmental assessment (cognitive: β coef = 6.297; p = 0.004; motor: β coef = 7.283; p = 0.001; language: β coeficient = 9.053; p = 0.002). Discussion These findings highlight (i) the impact of severe brain injury on thalamic growth trajectory during early extrauterine life after preterm birth and (ii) the relationship of thalamic growth trajectory with cognitive, motor, and language outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Trimarco
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Bahram Jafrasteh
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Natalia Jiménez-Luque
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Yolanda Marín Almagro
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Macarena Román Ruiz
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Manuel Lubián Gutiérrez
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Estefanía Ruiz González
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Antonio Segado Arenas
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Simón Pedro Lubián-López
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Isabel Benavente-Fernández
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
- Area of Paediatrics, Department of Child and Mother Health and Radiology, Medical School, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
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Yu WH, Chu CH, Chen LW, Lin YC, Koh CL, Huang CC. The developmental phenotype of motor delay in extremely preterm infants following early-life respiratory adversity is influenced by brain dysmaturation in the parietal lobe. J Neurodev Disord 2024; 16:38. [PMID: 39010007 PMCID: PMC11247839 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-024-09546-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research indicates that preterm infants requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation often exhibit suboptimal neurodevelopment at follow-up, coupled with altered brain development as detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at term-equivalent age (TEA). However, specific regions of brain dysmaturation and the subsequent neurodevelopmental phenotype following early-life adverse respiratory exposures remain unclear. Additionally, it is uncertain whether brain dysmaturation mediates neurodevelopmental outcomes after respiratory adversity. This study aims to investigate the relationship between early-life adverse respiratory exposures, brain dysmaturation at TEA, and the developmental phenotype observed during follow-up in extremely preterm infants. METHODS 89 infants born < 29 weeks' gestation from 2019 to 2021 received MRI examinations at TEA for structural and lobe brain volumes, which were adjusted with sex-and-postmenstrual-age expected volumes for volume residuals. Assisted ventilation patterns in the first 8 postnatal weeks were analyzed using kmlShape analyses. Patterns for motor, cognition, and language development were evaluated from corrected age 6 to 12 months using Bayley Scales of Infant Development, third edition. Mediation effects of brain volumes between early-life respiratory exposures and neurodevelopmental phenotypes were adjusted for sex, gestational age, maternal education, and severe brain injury. RESULTS Two distinct respiratory trajectories with varying severity were identified: improving (n = 35, 39%) and delayed improvement (n = 54, 61%). Compared with the improving group, the delayed improvement group exhibited selectively reduced brain volume residuals in the parietal lobe (mean - 4.9 cm3, 95% confidence interval - 9.4 to - 0.3) at TEA and lower motor composite scores (- 8.7, - 14.2 to - 3.1) at corrected age 12 months. The association between delayed respiratory improvement and inferior motor performance (total effect - 8.7, - 14.8 to - 3.3) was partially mediated through reduced parietal lobe volume (natural indirect effect - 1.8, - 4.9 to - 0.01), suggesting a mediating effect of 20%. CONCLUSIONS Early-life adverse respiratory exposure is specifically linked to the parietal lobe dysmaturation and neurodevelopmental phenotype of motor delay at follow-up. Dysmaturation of the parietal lobe serves as a mediator in the connection between respiratory adversity and compromised motor development. Optimizing respiratory critical care may emerge as a potential avenue to mitigate the consequences of altered brain growth and motor developmental delay in this extremely preterm population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hao Yu
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Hsiang Chu
- Institute of Statistics, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Li-Wen Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chieh Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Lin Koh
- Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, East District, Tainan City, 70101, Taiwan.
| | - Chao-Ching Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Pediatrics, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei, 23561, Taiwan.
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Calandrelli R, Tuzza L, Romeo DM, Arpaia C, Colosimo C, Pilato F. Extremely Preterm Infants with a Near-total Absence of Cerebellum: Usefulness of Quantitative Magnetic Resonance in Predicting the Motor Outcome. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 23:981-992. [PMID: 37603264 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-023-01593-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate in extremely premature infants the severity of brain structural injury causing total absence or near-total absence of cerebellar hemispheres by using MRI visual and volumetric scoring systems. It also aims to assess the role of the score systems in predicting motor outcome. We developed qualitative and quantitative MRI scoring systems to grade the overall brain damage severity in 16 infants with total absence or near-total absence of cerebellar hemispheres. The qualitative scoring system assessed the severity of macrostructural abnormalities of cerebellum, brainstem, supratentorial gray and white matters, ventricles while the quantitative scoring system weighted the loss of brain tissue volumes, and gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) was used to assess motor function at 1- and 5-year follow-ups.Positive correlations between both MRI scores and GMFCS scales were detected at follow-ups (p > 0.05), but only the volumetric score could identify those infants developing higher levels of motor impairment.Brain volumetric MRI offers an unbiassed assessment of prenatal brain damage. The quantitative scoring system, performed at term equivalent age, can be a helpful tool for predicting the long-term motor outcome in extremely preterm infants with a near-total absence of cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalinda Calandrelli
- Radiology and Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Imaging, Radiation Therapy and Hematology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 1, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | - Laura Tuzza
- Radiology and Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Imaging, Radiation Therapy and Hematology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Marco Romeo
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Arpaia
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Cesare Colosimo
- Radiology and Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Imaging, Radiation Therapy and Hematology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Istituto di Radiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Pilato
- Research Unit of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, -00128, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, -00128, Rome, Italy
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Yan K, Tang LK, Xiao FF, Zhang P, Cheng GQ, Wang LS, Lu CM, Ge MM, Hu LY, Zhou YF, Xiao TT, Xu Y, Yin ZQ, Yan GF, Lu GP, Li Q, Zhou WH. Brain development in newborns and infants after ECMO. World J Pediatr 2024; 20:556-568. [PMID: 38238638 PMCID: PMC11239726 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-023-00768-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) not only significantly improves survival rates in severely ill neonates but also is associated with long-term neurodevelopmental issues. To systematically review the available literature on the neurodevelopmental outcomes of neonates and infants who have undergone ECMO treatment, with a focus on motor deficits, cognitive impairments, sensory impairments, and developmental delays. This review aims to understand the incidence, prevalence, and risk factors for these problems and to explore current nursing care and management strategies. DATA SOURCES A comprehensive literature search was performed across PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science using a wide array of keywords and phrases pertaining to ECMO, neonates, infants, and various facets of neurodevelopment. The initial screening involved reviewing titles and abstracts to exclude irrelevant articles, followed by a full-text assessment of potentially relevant literature. The quality of each study was evaluated based on its research methodology and statistical analysis. Moreover, citation searches were conducted to identify potentially overlooked studies. Although the focus was primarily on neonatal ECMO, studies involving children and adults were also included due to the limited availability of neonate-specific literature. RESULTS About 50% of neonates post-ECMO treatment exhibit varying degrees of brain injury, particularly in the frontal and temporoparietal white matter regions, often accompanied by neurological complications. Seizures occur in 18%-23% of neonates within the first 24 hours, and bleeding events occur in 27%-60% of ECMO procedures, with up to 33% potentially experiencing ischemic strokes. Although some studies suggest that ECMO may negatively impact hearing and visual development, other studies have found no significant differences; hence, the influence of ECMO remains unclear. In terms of cognitive, language, and intellectual development, ECMO treatment may be associated with potential developmental delays, including lower composite scores in cognitive and motor functions, as well as potential language and learning difficulties. These studies emphasize the importance of early detection and intervention of potential developmental issues in ECMO survivors, possibly necessitating the implementation of a multidisciplinary follow-up plan that includes regular neuromotor and psychological evaluations. Overall, further multicenter, large-sample, long-term follow-up studies are needed to determine the impact of ECMO on these developmental aspects. CONCLUSIONS The impact of ECMO on an infant's nervous system still requires further investigation with larger sample sizes for validation. Fine-tuned management, comprehensive nursing care, appropriate patient selection, proactive monitoring, nutritional support, and early rehabilitation may potentially contribute to improving the long-term outcomes for these infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Yan
- Department of Neonatology, Children Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Lu-Kun Tang
- Department of Neonatology, Children Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
- Kunming Medical University Affiliated Dehong Hospital, Dehong, Yunnan, China
- Graduate School, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Fei-Fan Xiao
- Department of Neonatology, Children Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Neonatology, Children Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Guo-Qiang Cheng
- Department of Neonatology, Children Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Lai-Shuan Wang
- Department of Neonatology, Children Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Chun-Mei Lu
- Department of Neonatology, Children Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Meng-Meng Ge
- Department of Neonatology, Children Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Li-Yuan Hu
- Department of Neonatology, Children Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Yuan-Feng Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian-Tian Xiao
- School of Medicine, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhao-Qing Yin
- Kunming Medical University Affiliated Dehong Hospital, Dehong, Yunnan, China
- Graduate School, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Gang-Feng Yan
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guo-Ping Lu
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, The Sixth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Wen-Hao Zhou
- Department of Neonatology, Children Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China.
- Key Laboratory of Neonatology, National Health Care Commission, Shanghai, China.
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Jang YH, Ham J, Kasani PH, Kim H, Lee JY, Lee GY, Han TH, Kim BN, Lee HJ. Predicting 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants using multimodal structural brain magnetic resonance imaging with local connectivity. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9331. [PMID: 38653988 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58682-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants can be stratified based on the level of prematurity. We explored brain structural networks in extremely preterm (EP; < 28 weeks of gestation) and very-to-late (V-LP; ≥ 28 and < 37 weeks of gestation) preterm infants at term-equivalent age to predict 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes. Using MRI and diffusion MRI on 62 EP and 131 V-LP infants, we built a multimodal feature set for volumetric and structural network analysis. We employed linear and nonlinear machine learning models to predict the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) scores, assessing predictive accuracy and feature importance. Our findings revealed that models incorporating local connectivity features demonstrated high predictive performance for BSID-III subsets in preterm infants. Specifically, for cognitive scores in preterm (variance explained, 17%) and V-LP infants (variance explained, 17%), and for motor scores in EP infants (variance explained, 15%), models with local connectivity features outperformed others. Additionally, a model using only local connectivity features effectively predicted language scores in preterm infants (variance explained, 15%). This study underscores the value of multimodal feature sets, particularly local connectivity, in predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes, highlighting the utility of machine learning in understanding microstructural changes and their implications for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Hun Jang
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jusung Ham
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Payam Hosseinzadeh Kasani
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222-1, Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyuna Kim
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Young Lee
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Gang Yi Lee
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hwan Han
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bung-Nyun Kim
- Division of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ju Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222-1, Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
- Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Barnes-Davis ME, Williamson BJ, Kline JE, Kline-Fath BM, Tkach J, He L, Yuan W, Parikh NA. Structural connectivity at term equivalent age and language in preterm children at 2 years corrected. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae126. [PMID: 38665963 PMCID: PMC11043656 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
We previously reported interhemispheric structural hyperconnectivity bypassing the corpus callosum in children born extremely preterm (<28 weeks) versus term children. This increased connectivity was positively associated with language performance at 4-6 years of age in our prior work. In the present study, we aim to investigate whether this extracallosal connectivity develops in extremely preterm infants at term equivalent age by leveraging a prospective cohort study of 350 very and extremely preterm infants followed longitudinally in the Cincinnati Infant Neurodevelopment Early Prediction Study. For this secondary analysis, we included only children born extremely preterm and without significant brain injury (n = 95). We use higher-order diffusion modelling to assess the degree to which extracallosal pathways are present in extremely preterm infants and predictive of later language scores at 22-26 months corrected age. We compare results obtained from two higher-order diffusion models: generalized q-sampling imaging and constrained spherical deconvolution. Advanced MRI was obtained at term equivalent age (39-44 weeks post-menstrual age). For structural connectometry analysis, we assessed the level of correlation between white matter connectivity at the whole-brain level at term equivalent age and language scores at 2 years corrected age, controlling for post-menstrual age, sex, brain abnormality score and social risk. For our constrained spherical deconvolution analyses, we performed connectivity-based fixel enhancement, using probabilistic tractography to inform statistical testing of the hypothesis that fibre metrics at term equivalent age relate to language scores at 2 years corrected age after adjusting for covariates. Ninety-five infants were extremely preterm with no significant brain injury. Of these, 53 had complete neurodevelopmental and imaging data sets that passed quality control. In the connectometry analyses adjusted for covariates and multiple comparisons (P < 0.05), the following tracks were inversely correlated with language: bilateral cerebellar white matter and middle cerebellar peduncles, bilateral corticospinal tracks, posterior commissure and the posterior inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. No tracks from the constrained spherical deconvolution/connectivity-based fixel enhancement analyses remained significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Our findings provide critical information about the ontogeny of structural brain networks supporting language in extremely preterm children. Greater connectivity in more posterior tracks that include the cerebellum and connections to the regions of the temporal lobes at term equivalent age appears to be disadvantageous for language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Barnes-Davis
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Brady J Williamson
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Julia E Kline
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Beth M Kline-Fath
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Radiology, Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jean Tkach
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Radiology, Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Lili He
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Radiology, Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Weihong Yuan
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Nehal A Parikh
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Mahabee-Gittens EM, Priyanka Illapani VS, Merhar SL, Kline-Fath B, Harun N, He L, Parikh NA. Prenatal Opioid Exposure and Risk for Adverse Brain and Motor Outcomes in Infants Born Premature. J Pediatr 2024; 267:113908. [PMID: 38220065 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.113908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers and neurodevelopmental test scores in infants born preterm with and without prenatal opioid exposure (POE). STUDY DESIGN We examined 395 preterm infants (≤32 weeks gestational age) who had term-equivalent brain MRIs, composite scores from the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III at 2 years corrected age, and POE data. MRI parameters included total/regional brain volumes and severe punctate white matter lesions (PWMLs). We conducted bivariable analysis and multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS The mean ± SD gestational age was 29.3 ± 2.5 weeks; 35 (8.9%) had POE and 20 (5.1%) had severe PWML. Compared with unexposed infants, those with POE exhibited higher rates of severe PWML (17.1% vs 3.9%, respectively; P = .002); findings remained significant with an OR of 4.16 (95% CI, 1.26-13.68) after adjusting for confounders. On mediation analysis, the significant relationship between POE and severe PWML was not indirectly mediated through preterm birth/gestational age (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.78-1.10), thus suggesting the association was largely driven by a direct adverse effect of POE on white matter. In multivariable analyses, POE was associated with a significantly lower score by -6.2 (95% CI, -11.8 to -0.6) points on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III Motor subscale compared with unexposed infants. CONCLUSIONS POE was associated with severe PWML; this outcome may be a direct effect of POE rather than being mediated by premature birth. POE was also associated with worse motor development. Continued follow-up to understand the long-term effects of POE is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Melinda Mahabee-Gittens
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH.
| | - Venkata Sita Priyanka Illapani
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Stephanie L Merhar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH; Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Beth Kline-Fath
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH; Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH; Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Nusrat Harun
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Lili He
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH; Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH; Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Nehal A Parikh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH; Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, The Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
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Dos Santos AS, da Costa MG, Faustino AM, de Almeida W, Danilevicz CK, Peres AM, de Castro Saturnino BC, Varela APM, Teixeira TF, Roehe PM, Krolow R, Dalmaz C, Pereira LO. Neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, hippocampal atrophy and delayed neurodevelopment: Contributions for a rat model of congenital Zika syndrome. Exp Neurol 2024; 374:114699. [PMID: 38301864 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) has been characterized as a set of several brain changes, such as reduced brain volume and subcortical calcifications, in addition to cognitive deficits. Microcephaly is one of the possible complications found in newborns exposed to Zika virus (ZIKV) during pregnancy, although it is an impacting clinical sign. This study aimed to investigate the consequences of a model of congenital ZIKV infection by evaluating the histopathology, blood-brain barrier, and neuroinflammation in pup rats 24 h after birth, and neurodevelopment of the offspring. Pregnant rats were inoculated subcutaneously with ZIKV-BR at the dose 1 × 107 plaque-forming unit (PFU mL-1) of ZIKV isolated in Brazil (ZIKV-BR) on gestational day 18 (G18). A set of pups, 24 h after birth, was euthanized. The brain was collected and later evaluated for the histopathology of brain structures through histological analysis. Additionally, analyses of the blood-brain barrier were conducted using western blotting, and neuroinflammation was assessed using ELISA. Another set of animals was evaluated on postnatal days 3, 6, 9, and 12 for neurodevelopment by observing the developmental milestones. Our results revealed hippocampal atrophy in ZIKV animals, in addition to changes in the blood-brain barrier structure and pro-inflammatory cytokines expression increase. Regarding neurodevelopment, a delay in important reflexes during the neonatal period in ZIKV animals was observed. These findings advance the understanding of the pathophysiology of CZS and contribute to enhancing the rat model of CZS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Souza Dos Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Meirylanne Gomes da Costa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Aline Martins Faustino
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Wellington de Almeida
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Chris Krebs Danilevicz
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ariadni Mesquita Peres
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Bruna Carolina de Castro Saturnino
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Muterle Varela
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Thais Fumaco Teixeira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Paulo Michel Roehe
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Rachel Krolow
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carla Dalmaz
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Lenir Orlandi Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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9
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Hong W, Zhang X, Liu Z, Li M, Yu Z, Zhao G, Wang Y, Sun C, Yang B, Xu R, Zhao Z. MRI Assessment of the Relationship Between Cortical Morphological Features and Hemiparetic Motor-Related Outcomes in Chronic Subcortical Stroke Patients. J Magn Reson Imaging 2023; 58:571-580. [PMID: 36440811 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is unclear which cortical regions are specific to or commonly associated with the impairments of the upper/lower limbs and the activities of daily life (ADL) in stroke patients. PURPOSE To investigate the relationships between MRI-assessed surface-based morphometry (SBM) features and motor function as well as ADL in participants with chronic stroke. STUDY TYPE Prospective. SUBJECTS Thirty-five participants with subcortical stroke more than 3 months from the first-onset (age: 56.44 ± 9.56 years; 32 male). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE T1 -weighted images, 3.0 T, three-dimensional fast field-echo sequence. ASSESSMENT FreeSurfer (6.0) was used to parcellate each hemisphere into 34 regions based on the Desikan-Killiany atlas and to extract the surface area, volume, thickness, and curvature. The motor function and ADL were assessed by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for the Upper/Lower Extremity (FMA-UE/FMA-LE) and the Chinese version of the Modified Barthel Index (MBI-C), respectively. STATISTICAL TESTS A linear mixed-effect model was applied to evaluate the relationship between the morphological features and the FMA-UE, FMA-LE, and MBI-C. A false discovery rate corrected P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Correlations between the size of stroke lesion and MRI measurements did not pass the FDR correction (adjusted P > 0.05). SBM features in motor-related and high-order cognitive cortical regions showed significant correlations with FMA-UE and FMA-LE, respectively. Moreover, the thickness in the prefrontal cortex significantly positively correlated, while the surface area in the right supramarginal gyrus significantly negatively correlated, with both FMA-UE, FMA-LE, and MBI-C. The thickness in the left frontal lobe significantly positively correlated with both FMA-UE and MBI-C. DATA CONCLUSION This study's findings suggest that different hemiparetic motor-related outcomes in participants with subcortical stroke which suffered a corticospinal tract-related injury show specific, but also share common, associations with several cortical regions. EVIDENCE LEVEL 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Hong
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Zaixing Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhixuan Yu
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Guanchun Zhao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuxin Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Cuiyun Sun
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Rong Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhiyong Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Li H, Li Z, Du K, Zhu Y, Parikh NA, He L. A Semi-Supervised Graph Convolutional Network for Early Prediction of Motor Abnormalities in Very Preterm Infants. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:1508. [PMID: 37189608 PMCID: PMC10137879 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13081508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 32-42% of very preterm infants develop minor motor abnormalities. Earlier diagnosis soon after birth is urgently needed because the first two years of life represent a critical window of opportunity for early neuroplasticity in infants. In this study, we developed a semi-supervised graph convolutional network (GCN) model that is able to simultaneously learn the neuroimaging features of subjects and consider the pairwise similarity between them. The semi-supervised GCN model also allows us to combine labeled data with additional unlabeled data to facilitate model training. We conducted our experiments on a multisite regional cohort of 224 preterm infants (119 labeled subjects and 105 unlabeled subjects) who were born at 32 weeks or earlier from the Cincinnati Infant Neurodevelopment Early Prediction Study. A weighted loss function was applied to mitigate the impact of an imbalanced positive:negative (~1:2) subject ratio in our cohort. With only labeled data, our GCN model achieved an accuracy of 66.4% and an AUC of 0.67 in the early prediction of motor abnormalities, outperforming prior supervised learning models. By taking advantage of additional unlabeled data, the GCN model had significantly better accuracy (68.0%, p = 0.016) and a higher AUC (0.69, p = 0.029). This pilot work suggests that the semi-supervised GCN model can be utilized to aid early prediction of neurodevelopmental deficits in preterm infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Li
- Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Artificial Intelligence Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Zhiyuan Li
- Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Kevin Du
- Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Yu Zhu
- Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Nehal A. Parikh
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Lili He
- Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Artificial Intelligence Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
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11
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Pagnozzi AM, van Eijk L, Pannek K, Boyd RN, Saha S, George J, Bora S, Bradford D, Fahey M, Ditchfield M, Malhotra A, Liley H, Colditz PB, Rose S, Fripp J. Early brain morphometrics from neonatal MRI predict motor and cognitive outcomes at 2-years corrected age in very preterm infants. Neuroimage 2023; 267:119815. [PMID: 36529204 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Infants born very preterm face a range of neurodevelopmental challenges in cognitive, language, behavioural and/or motor domains. Early accurate identification of those at risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, through clinical assessment and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), enables prognostication of outcomes and the initiation of targeted early interventions. This study utilises a prospective cohort of 181 infants born <31 weeks gestation, who had 3T MRIs acquired at 29-35 weeks postmenstrual age and a comprehensive neurodevelopmental evaluation at 2 years corrected age (CA). Cognitive, language and motor outcomes were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development - Third Edition and functional motor outcomes using the Neuro-sensory Motor Developmental Assessment. By leveraging advanced structural MRI pre-processing steps to standardise the data, and the state-of-the-art developing Human Connectome Pipeline, early MRI biomarkers of neurodevelopmental outcomes were identified. Using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression, significant associations between brain structure on early MRIs with 2-year outcomes were obtained (r = 0.51 and 0.48 for motor and cognitive outcomes respectively) on an independent 25% of the data. Additionally, important brain biomarkers from early MRIs were identified, including cortical grey matter volumes, as well as cortical thickness and sulcal depth across the entire cortex. Adverse outcome on the Bayley-III motor and cognitive composite scores were accurately predicted, with an Area Under the Curve of 0.86 for both scores. These associations between 2-year outcomes and patient prognosis and early neonatal MRI measures demonstrate the utility of imaging prior to term equivalent age for providing earlier commencement of targeted interventions for infants born preterm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex M Pagnozzi
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, The Australian e-Health Research Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia.
| | - Liza van Eijk
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, The Australian e-Health Research Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; Department of Psychology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kerstin Pannek
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, The Australian e-Health Research Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Roslyn N Boyd
- Child Health Research Centre, Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Susmita Saha
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, The Australian e-Health Research Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Joanne George
- Child Health Research Centre, Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Physiotherapy Department, Queensland Children's Hospital, Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Samudragupta Bora
- Mothers, Babies and Women's Health Program, Mater Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - DanaKai Bradford
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, The Australian e-Health Research Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Michael Fahey
- Monash Health Paediatric Neurology Unit and Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Ditchfield
- Monash Imaging, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Atul Malhotra
- Monash Health Paediatric Neurology Unit and Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Monash Newborn, Monash Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Helen Liley
- Mothers, Babies and Women's Health Program, Mater Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Paul B Colditz
- Perinatal Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stephen Rose
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, The Australian e-Health Research Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Jurgen Fripp
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, The Australian e-Health Research Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
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12
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Kline JE, Dudley J, Illapani VSP, Li H, Kline-Fath B, Tkach J, He L, Yuan W, Parikh NA. Diffuse excessive high signal intensity in the preterm brain on advanced MRI represents widespread neuropathology. Neuroimage 2022; 264:119727. [PMID: 36332850 PMCID: PMC9908008 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm brains commonly exhibit elevated signal intensity in the white matter on T2-weighted MRI at term-equivalent age. This signal, known as diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) or diffuse white matter abnormality (DWMA) when quantitatively assessed, is associated with abnormal microstructure on diffusion tensor imaging. However, postmortem data are largely lacking and difficult to obtain, and the pathological significance of DEHSI remains in question. In a cohort of 202 infants born preterm at ≤32 weeks gestational age, we leveraged two newer diffusion MRI models - Constrained Spherical Deconvolution (CSD) and neurite orientation dispersion and density index (NODDI) - to better characterize the macro and microstructural properties of DWMA and inform the ongoing debate around the clinical significance of DWMA. With increasing DWMA volume, fiber density broadly decreased throughout the white matter and fiber cross-section decreased in the major sensorimotor tracts. Neurite orientation dispersion decreased in the centrum semiovale, corona radiata, and temporal lobe. These findings provide insight into DWMA's biological underpinnings and demonstrate that it is a serious pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E Kline
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Jon Dudley
- Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Venkata Sita Priyanka Illapani
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Hailong Li
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Beth Kline-Fath
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Jean Tkach
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Lili He
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Weihong Yuan
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Nehal A Parikh
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
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13
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Li Z, Li H, Braimah A, Dillman JR, Parikh NA, He L. A novel Ontology-guided Attribute Partitioning ensemble learning model for early prediction of cognitive deficits using quantitative Structural MRI in very preterm infants. Neuroimage 2022; 260:119484. [PMID: 35850161 PMCID: PMC9483989 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that brain anatomical abnormalities are associated with cognitive deficits in preterm infants. Brain maturation and geometric features can be used with machine learning models for predicting later neurodevelopmental deficits. However, traditional machine learning models would suffer from a large feature-to-instance ratio (i.e., a large number of features but a small number of instances/samples). Ensemble learning is a paradigm that strategically generates and integrates a library of machine learning classifiers and has been successfully used on a wide variety of predictive modeling problems to boost model performance. Attribute (i.e., feature) bagging method is the most commonly used feature partitioning scheme, which randomly and repeatedly draws feature subsets from the entire feature set. Although attribute bagging method can effectively reduce feature dimensionality to handle the large feature-to-instance ratio, it lacks consideration of domain knowledge and latent relationship among features. In this study, we proposed a novel Ontology-guided Attribute Partitioning (OAP) method to better draw feature subsets by considering the domain-specific relationship among features. With the better-partitioned feature subsets, we developed an ensemble learning framework, which is referred to as OAP-Ensemble Learning (OAP-EL). We applied the OAP-EL to predict cognitive deficits at 2 years of age using quantitative brain maturation and geometric features obtained at term equivalent age in very preterm infants. We demonstrated that the proposed OAP-EL approach significantly outperformed the peer ensemble learning and traditional machine learning approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Li
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Hailong Li
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Center for Prevention of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Artificial Intelligence Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Adebayo Braimah
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jonathan R Dillman
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Artificial Intelligence Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Nehal A Parikh
- Center for Prevention of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Lili He
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Center for Prevention of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Artificial Intelligence Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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14
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Altered Cerebral Curvature in Preterm Infants Is Associated with the Common Genetic Variation Related to Autism Spectrum Disorder and Lipid Metabolism. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11113135. [PMID: 35683524 PMCID: PMC9181724 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11113135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm births are often associated with neurodevelopmental impairment. In the critical developmental period of the fetal brain, preterm birth disrupts cortical maturation. Notably, preterm birth leads to alterations in the fronto-striatal and temporal lobes and the limbic region. Recent advances in MRI acquisition and analysis methods have revealed an integrated approach to the genetic influence on brain structure. Based on imaging studies, we hypothesized that the altered cortical structure observed after preterm birth is associated with common genetic variations. We found that the presence of the minor allele at rs1042778 in OXTR was associated with reduced curvature in the right medial orbitofrontal gyrus (p < 0.001). The presence of the minor allele at rs174576 in FADS2 (p < 0.001) or rs740603 in COMT (p < 0.001) was related to reduced curvature in the left posterior cingulate gyrus. This study provides biological insight into altered cortical curvature at term-equivalent age, suggesting that the common genetic variations related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and lipid metabolism may mediate vulnerability to early cortical dysmaturation in preterm infants.
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Kline JE, Yuan W, Harpster K, Altaye M, Parikh NA. Association between brain structural network efficiency at term-equivalent age and early development of cerebral palsy in very preterm infants. Neuroimage 2021; 245:118688. [PMID: 34758381 PMCID: PMC9264481 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Very preterm infants (born at less than 32 weeks gestational age) are at high risk for serious motor impairments, including cerebral palsy (CP). The brain network changes that antecede the early development of CP in infants are not well characterized, and a better understanding may suggest new strategies for risk-stratification at term, which could lead to earlier access to therapies. Graph theoretical methods applied to diffusion MRI-derived brain connectomes may help quantify the organization and information transfer capacity of the preterm brain with greater nuance than overt structural or regional microstructural changes. Our aim was to shed light on the pathophysiology of early CP development, before the occurrence of early intervention therapies and other environmental confounders, to help identify the best early biomarkers of CP risk in VPT infants. In a cohort of 395 very preterm infants, we extracted cortical morphometrics and brain volumes from structural MRI and also applied graph theoretical methods to diffusion MRI connectomes, both acquired at term-equivalent age. Metrics from graph network analysis, especially global efficiency, strength values of the major sensorimotor tracts, and local efficiency of the motor nodes and novel non-motor regions were strongly inversely related to early CP diagnosis. These measures remained significantly associated with CP after correction for common risk factors of motor development, suggesting that metrics of brain network efficiency at term may be sensitive biomarkers for early CP detection. We demonstrate for the first time that in VPT infants, early CP diagnosis is anteceded by decreased brain network segregation in numerous nodes, including motor regions commonly-associated with CP and also novel regions that may partially explain the high rate of cognitive impairments concomitant with CP diagnosis. These advanced MRI biomarkers may help identify the highest risk infants by term-equivalent age, facilitating earlier interventions that are informed by early pathophysiological changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E Kline
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, MLC 7009, Cincinnati, OH 45229, United States
| | - Weihong Yuan
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Radiology, Division of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Karen Harpster
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise, and Nutrition Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Mekibib Altaye
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Nehal A Parikh
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, MLC 7009, Cincinnati, OH 45229, United States; Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
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16
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Dimitrova R, Pietsch M, Ciarrusta J, Fitzgibbon SP, Williams LZJ, Christiaens D, Cordero-Grande L, Batalle D, Makropoulos A, Schuh A, Price AN, Hutter J, Teixeira RP, Hughes E, Chew A, Falconer S, Carney O, Egloff A, Tournier JD, McAlonan G, Rutherford MA, Counsell SJ, Robinson EC, Hajnal JV, Rueckert D, Edwards AD, O'Muircheartaigh J. Preterm birth alters the development of cortical microstructure and morphology at term-equivalent age. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118488. [PMID: 34419595 PMCID: PMC8526870 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The dynamic nature and complexity of the cellular events that take place during the last trimester of pregnancy make the developing cortex particularly vulnerable to perturbations. Abrupt interruption to normal gestation can lead to significant deviations to many of these processes, resulting in atypical trajectory of cortical maturation in preterm birth survivors. METHODS We sought to first map typical cortical micro- and macrostructure development using invivo MRI in a large sample of healthy term-born infants scanned after birth (n = 259). Then we offer a comprehensive characterization of the cortical consequences of preterm birth in 76 preterm infants scanned at term-equivalent age (37-44 weeks postmenstrual age). We describe the group-average atypicality, the heterogeneity across individual preterm infants, and relate individual deviations from normative development to age at birth and neurodevelopment at 18 months. RESULTS In the term-born neonatal brain, we observed heterogeneous and regionally specific associations between age at scan and measures of cortical morphology and microstructure, including rapid surface expansion, greater cortical thickness, lower cortical anisotropy and higher neurite orientation dispersion. By term-equivalent age, preterm infants had on average increased cortical tissue water content and reduced neurite density index in the posterior parts of the cortex, and greater cortical thickness anteriorly compared to term-born infants. While individual preterm infants were more likely to show extreme deviations (over 3.1 standard deviations) from normative cortical maturation compared to term-born infants, these extreme deviations were highly variable and showed very little spatial overlap between individuals. Measures of regional cortical development were associated with age at birth, but not with neurodevelopment at 18 months. CONCLUSION We showed that preterm birth alters cortical micro- and macrostructural maturation near the time of full-term birth. Deviations from normative development were highly variable between individual preterm infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralica Dimitrova
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maximilian Pietsch
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Judit Ciarrusta
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sean P Fitzgibbon
- Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Welcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Logan Z J Williams
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daan Christiaens
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT/PSI, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lucilio Cordero-Grande
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Biomedical Image Technologies, ETSI Telecomunicación, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and CIBER-BBN, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dafnis Batalle
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Antonios Makropoulos
- Biomedical Image Analysis Group, Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andreas Schuh
- Biomedical Image Analysis Group, Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony N Price
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jana Hutter
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rui Pag Teixeira
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emer Hughes
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Chew
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Shona Falconer
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Olivia Carney
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexia Egloff
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - J-Donald Tournier
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Grainne McAlonan
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mary A Rutherford
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Serena J Counsell
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emma C Robinson
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph V Hajnal
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Rueckert
- Biomedical Image Analysis Group, Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Faculty of Informatics and Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - A David Edwards
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan O'Muircheartaigh
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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17
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Chandwani R, Kline JE, Harpster K, Tkach J, Parikh NA. Early micro- and macrostructure of sensorimotor tracts and development of cerebral palsy in high risk infants. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:4708-4721. [PMID: 34322949 PMCID: PMC8410533 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Infants born very preterm (VPT) are at high risk of motor impairments such as cerebral palsy (CP), and diagnosis can take 2 years. Identifying in vivo determinants of CP could facilitate presymptomatic detection and targeted intervention. Our objectives were to derive micro‐ and macrostructural measures of sensorimotor white matter tract integrity from diffusion MRI at term‐equivalent age, and determine their association with early diagnosis of CP. We enrolled 263 VPT infants (≤32 weeks gestational age) as part of a large prospective cohort study. Diffusion and structural MRI were acquired at term. Following consensus guidelines, we defined early diagnosis of CP based on abnormal structural MRI at term and abnormal neuromotor exam at 3–4 months corrected age. Using Constrained Spherical Deconvolution, we derived a white matter fiber orientation distribution (fOD) for subjects, performed probabilistic whole‐brain tractography, and segmented nine sensorimotor tracts of interest. We used the recently developed fixel‐based (FB) analysis to compute fiber density (FD), fiber‐bundle cross‐section (FC), and combined fiber density and cross‐section (FDC) for each tract. Of 223 VPT infants with high‐quality diffusion MRI data, 14 (6.3%) received an early diagnosis of CP. The cohort's mean (SD) gestational age was 29.4 (2.4) weeks and postmenstrual age at MRI scan was 42.8 (1.3) weeks. FD, FC, and FDC for each sensorimotor tract were significantly associated with early CP diagnosis, with and without adjustment for confounders. Measures of sensorimotor tract integrity enhance our understanding of white matter changes that antecede and potentially contribute to the development of CP in VPT infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Chandwani
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Julia E Kline
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Karen Harpster
- Division of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, University of Cincinnati College of Allied Health Sciences, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Jean Tkach
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Nehal A Parikh
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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