Volumetric grey matter alterations in adolescents and adults born very preterm suggest accelerated brain maturation
Year: 2017
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Previous research investigating structural neurodevelopmental alterations in individuals who were born very preterm demonstrated a complex pattern of grey matter changes that defy straightforward summary. Here we addressed this problem by characterising volumetric brain alterations in individuals who were born very preterm from adolescence to adulthood at three hierarchically related levels - global, modular and regional. We demarcated structural components that were either particularly resilient or vulnerable to the impact of very preterm birth. We showed that individuals who were born very preterm had smaller global grey matter volume compared to controls, with subcortical and medial temporal regions being particularly affected. Conversely, frontal and lateral parieto-temporal cortices were relatively resilient to the effects of very preterm birth, possibly indicating compensatory mechanisms. Exploratory analyses supported this hypothesis by showing a stronger association of lateral parieto-temporal volume with IQ in the very preterm group compared to controls. We then related these alterations to brain maturation processes. Very preterm individuals exhibited a higher maturation index compared to controls, indicating accelerated brain ageing and this was specifically associated with younger gestational age. We discuss how the findings of accelerated maturation might be reconciled with evidence of delayed maturation at earlier stages of development.
Source: NeuroImage
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,888
Funders: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King's University College, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust/Institute of Cancer Research, National Institute for Health and Care Research, King's College London, Medical Research Council, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
Awards: G3823896494, Structural and functional fronto-hippocampal maturation and neurodevelopmental outcome following very preterm birth in adulthood, NIHR Senior Investigator Award, G5012511047, Improving Physical Health and Decreasing Cannabis Abuse in People With Severe Mental Illness, G8208673703, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging Resource (LONIR)
OpenAlex ID: W2952398307