Longitudinal Changes in the Sensorimotor Pathways of Very Preterm Infants During the First Year of Life With and Without Intervention: A Pilot Study

Sonia Khurana; Megan E Evans; Claire E Kelly; Deanne K Thompson; Jennifer C Burnsed; Amy D Harper; Karen D Hendricks-Muñoz; Mary S Shall; Richard D Stevenson; Ketaki Inamdar; Gregory Vorona; Stacey C Dusing

doi:10.1080/17518423.2021.1903602

Longitudinal Changes in the Sensorimotor Pathways of Very Preterm Infants During the First Year of Life With and Without Intervention: A Pilot Study

Dev Neurorehabil. 2021 Oct;24(7):448-455. doi: 10.1080/17518423.2021.1903602. Epub 2021 Jun 23.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Postdoctoral Fellow, Motor Development Lab, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States.
² Lab Manager, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States.
³ Victorian Infant Brain Studies (Vibes) and Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
⁵ Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology, Division of Neonatology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States.
⁶ Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States.
⁷ William Tate Graham Professor and Chair Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Richmond, Virginia, United States.
⁸ Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States.
⁹ Professor of Pediatrics and Head, Division of Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States.
¹⁰ PhD Student, Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, Motor Development Lab, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States.
¹¹ Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States.
¹² Sykes Family Chair of Pediatric Physical Therapy, Health and Development, Associate Professor, Motor Development Lab, Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States.

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate longitudinal changes in brain microstructure and volumes in very preterm infants during the first year of life with and without intervention.Design: Descriptive pilot study.Methods: Five preterm infants in a three-arm clinical trial, one SPEEDI Early, two SPEEDI Late, and two usual care. Brain structural and diffusion MRI's were acquired within 72 hours after neonatal intensive care unit discharge (n = 5), three months post-baseline (n = 5), and six months post-baseline (n = 3). Fractional anisotropy (FA), Mean diffusivity (MD), and volume metrics were computed for five brain regions.Results: More than 60% of eligible participants completed 100% of the scheduled MRIs. FA and volume increased from baseline to six months across all brain regions. Rate of white matter volume change from baseline to six months was highest in SPEEDI Early.Conclusions: Non-sedated longitudinal MRI is feasible in very preterm infants and appears to demonstrate longitudinal changes in brain structure and connectivity.

Keywords: DTI; corticospinal tract; intervention; preterm infants.

Publication types

Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

Brain / diagnostic imaging
Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Infant, Premature, Diseases*
Pilot Projects
White Matter*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding