Michela Groppo1, Daniela Ricci2, Laura Bassi1, Nazakat Merchant3, Valentina Doria3, Tomoki Arichi3, Joanna M Allsop3, Luca Ramenghi4, Matthew J Fox3, Frances M Cowan5, Serena J Counsell6, A David Edwards3. 1. Centre for the Developing Brain, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom; NICU, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. 2. Paediatric Neurology Unit, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. 3. Centre for the Developing Brain, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom; MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom. 4. NICU, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. 5. Centre for the Developing Brain, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom. 6. Centre for the Developing Brain, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom; MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: serena.counsell@imperial.ac.uk.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Visual impairment in preterm infants at term equivalent age (TEA) is associated with impaired microstructural development in the optic radiation, measured as reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) by Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). We tested the hypothesis that these abnormalities develop during the late preterm period. METHODS: DTI was performed in 53 infants born at a median (range) of 30(+1) (25(+4)-34(+6)) weeks post-menstrual age (PMA), 22 of whom were imaged twice. RESULTS: FA in the optic radiation at TEA was related to: visual function (p = .003); PMA at birth (p = .015); and PMA at scan (p = .008); while a significant interaction between PMA at birth and scan (p = .019) revealed an effect of the period of premature extra-uterine life additional to the degree of prematurity. We explored this further in a sub-group of 22 infants who were studied twice. FA increased from mean (95% CI) .174 (.164-.176) on the first image at 32(+5) (29(+5)-36) weeks PMA, to .198 (.190-.206) on the second image at 40(+6) (39(+2)-46) weeks PMA. Visual function was not predicted by FA on the images obtained in the early neonatal period, but was significantly related to the rate of increase in FA between scans (p = .027) and to FA on the second image (p = .015). CONCLUSION: Microstructural maturation during the late preterm period is thus required for normal visual function, suggesting that interventions applied after 30 weeks PMA might reduce impairment in preterm infants.
INTRODUCTION: Visual impairment in preterm infants at term equivalent age (TEA) is associated with impaired microstructural development in the optic radiation, measured as reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) by Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). We tested the hypothesis that these abnormalities develop during the late preterm period. METHODS: DTI was performed in 53 infants born at a median (range) of 30(+1) (25(+4)-34(+6)) weeks post-menstrual age (PMA), 22 of whom were imaged twice. RESULTS: FA in the optic radiation at TEA was related to: visual function (p = .003); PMA at birth (p = .015); and PMA at scan (p = .008); while a significant interaction between PMA at birth and scan (p = .019) revealed an effect of the period of premature extra-uterine life additional to the degree of prematurity. We explored this further in a sub-group of 22 infants who were studied twice. FA increased from mean (95% CI) .174 (.164-.176) on the first image at 32(+5) (29(+5)-36) weeks PMA, to .198 (.190-.206) on the second image at 40(+6) (39(+2)-46) weeks PMA. Visual function was not predicted by FA on the images obtained in the early neonatal period, but was significantly related to the rate of increase in FA between scans (p = .027) and to FA on the second image (p = .015). CONCLUSION: Microstructural maturation during the late preterm period is thus required for normal visual function, suggesting that interventions applied after 30 weeks PMA might reduce impairment in preterm infants.
Authors: Andrea L Murray; Deanne K Thompson; Leona Pascoe; Alexander Leemans; Terrie E Inder; Lex W Doyle; Jacqueline F I Anderson; Peter J Anderson Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2015-08-28 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Adriana Di Martino; Damien A Fair; Clare Kelly; Theodore D Satterthwaite; F Xavier Castellanos; Moriah E Thomason; R Cameron Craddock; Beatriz Luna; Bennett L Leventhal; Xi-Nian Zuo; Michael P Milham Journal: Neuron Date: 2014-09-17 Impact factor: 17.173
Authors: Christiaan J A Geldof; Aleid G van Wassenaer-Leemhuis; Marjolein Dik; Joke H Kok; Jaap Oosterlaan Journal: Pediatr Res Date: 2015-04-30 Impact factor: 3.756
Authors: Elise Turk; Marion I van den Heuvel; Manon J Benders; Roel de Heus; Arie Franx; Janessa H Manning; Jasmine L Hect; Edgar Hernandez-Andrade; Sonia S Hassan; Roberto Romero; René S Kahn; Moriah E Thomason; Martijn P van den Heuvel Journal: J Neurosci Date: 2019-11-04 Impact factor: 6.167
Authors: Julia Pavaine; Julia M Young; Benjamin R Morgan; Manohar Shroff; Charles Raybaud; Margot J Taylor Journal: Neuroradiology Date: 2015-12-21 Impact factor: 2.804
Authors: Niek E van der Aa; Frances J Northington; Brian S Stone; Floris Groenendaal; Manon J N L Benders; Giorgio Porro; Shoko Yoshida; Susumu Mori; Linda S de Vries; Jiangyang Zhang Journal: Pediatr Res Date: 2013-03-11 Impact factor: 3.756
Authors: Stephanie L Merhar; Elveda Gozdas; Jean A Tkach; Karen L Harpster; Terry L Schwartz; Weihong Yuan; Beth M Kline-Fath; James L Leach; Mekibib Altaye; Scott K Holland Journal: Pediatr Res Date: 2016-03-18 Impact factor: 3.756