Abstract
Background: The literature on brain imaging in premature infants is mostly made up of studies that evaluate neonates, yet the most dynamic time of brain development happens from birth to 1 year of age. This study was designed to obtain quantitative brain measures from magnetic resonance imaging scans of infants born prematurely at 12 months of age. Methods: The subject group was designed to capture a wide range of gestational age (GA) from premature to full-term infants. An age-specific atlas generated quantitative brain measures. A regression model was used to predict effects of GA and sex on brain measures. Results: There was a primary effect of sex on: (1) intracranial volume, males > females; (2) proportional cerebral cortical gray matter (females > males), and (3) cerebral white matter (males > females). GA predicted cerebral volume and cerebral spinal fluid. GA also predicted cortical gray matter in a sex-specific manner with GA having a significant effect on cortical volume in the males, but not in females. Conclusions and relevance: Sex differences in brain structure are large early in life. GA had sex-specific effects highlighting the importance evaluating sex effects in neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 55-62 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Pediatric Research |
| Volume | 85 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2019 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2018, International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc.