Eleonora Tamilia1,2, Marianna S Parker3, Maria Rocchi1,2, Fabrizio Taffoni4, Anne Hansen3, P Ellen Grant2, Christos Papadelis5,6,7. 1. Laboratory of Children's Brain Dynamics, Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. 2. Fetal Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. 3. Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. 4. Laboratory of Biomedical Robotics and Biomicrosystems, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy. 5. Laboratory of Children's Brain Dynamics, Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. christos.papadelis@childrens.harvard.edu. 6. Fetal Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. christos.papadelis@childrens.harvard.edu. 7. Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center, Cook Children's Health Care System, Fort Worth, TX, USA. christos.papadelis@childrens.harvard.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between nutritive sucking and microstructural integrity of sensorimotor tracts in newborns with brain injury. STUDY DESIGN: Diffusion imaging was performed in ten newborns with brain injury. Nutritive sucking was assessed using Nfant®. The motor, sensory, and corpus callosum tracts were reconstructed via tractography. Fractional anisotropy, radial, axial, and mean diffusivity were estimated for these tracts. Multiple regression models were developed to test the association between sucking features and diffusion parameters. RESULTS: Low-sucking smoothness correlated with low-fractional anisotropy of motor tracts (p = 0.0096). High-sucking irregularity correlated with high-mean diffusivity of motor (p = 0.030) and corpus callosum tracts (p = 0.032). For sensory tracts, high-sucking irregularity (p = 0.018) and low-smoothness variability (p = 0.002) correlated with high-mean diffusivity. INTERPRETATION: We show a correlation between neuroimaging-demonstrated microstructural brain abnormalities and variations in sucking patterns of newborns. The consistency of this relationship should be shown on larger cohorts.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between nutritive sucking and microstructural integrity of sensorimotor tracts in newborns with brain injury. STUDY DESIGN: Diffusion imaging was performed in ten newborns with brain injury. Nutritive sucking was assessed using Nfant®. The motor, sensory, and corpus callosum tracts were reconstructed via tractography. Fractional anisotropy, radial, axial, and mean diffusivity were estimated for these tracts. Multiple regression models were developed to test the association between sucking features and diffusion parameters. RESULTS: Low-sucking smoothness correlated with low-fractional anisotropy of motor tracts (p = 0.0096). High-sucking irregularity correlated with high-mean diffusivity of motor (p = 0.030) and corpus callosum tracts (p = 0.032). For sensory tracts, high-sucking irregularity (p = 0.018) and low-smoothness variability (p = 0.002) correlated with high-mean diffusivity. INTERPRETATION: We show a correlation between neuroimaging-demonstrated microstructural brain abnormalities and variations in sucking patterns of newborns. The consistency of this relationship should be shown on larger cohorts.
Authors: C C Quattrocchi; D Longo; L N Delfino; M R Cilio; F Piersigilli; M D Capua; G Seganti; O Danhaive; G Fariello Journal: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol Date: 2010-04-15 Impact factor: 3.825
Authors: Anthony-Samuel LaMantia; Sally A Moody; Thomas M Maynard; Beverly A Karpinski; Irene E Zohn; David Mendelowitz; Norman H Lee; Anastas Popratiloff Journal: Dev Biol Date: 2015-11-07 Impact factor: 3.582