The myelination process in severely malnourished children: MRI findings.

This study reports cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in children with severe protein energy malnutrition (PEM) performed to determine malnutrition related myelination delay. A total of 20 children aged 2 months to 24 months were included in this study. Eleven (55%) of the children had severe wasting, five (25%) children had edematous malnutrition, and four (20%) children had severe stunting. The MRI findings of two (10%) children, both with severe stunting, indicated myelination delay according to Barkovich et al. (2000) and van der Knaap and Valk criteria 2005. Seventeen (85%) children also had MRI findings of cerebral atrophy. Conclusions indicate that the brain myelination process in the first two years of life of severely malnourished infants, as assessed by MRI, does not show significant delay caused by the nutritional impact on the myelination process.