title: Reduced development of cerebral cortex in extremely preterm infants.
abstract: Most growth in cortical connections and complexity occurs after 25 weeks. The cerebral cortex of extremely preterm infants when imaged at gestational age 38-42 weeks had less cortical surface area and was less complex than in normal infants born around term (p<0.0148 and p<0.0002, respectively), despite similar term-corrected cerebral tissue volumes. Since deficits acquired during critical periods of brain development may be permanent, these results suggest a neural substrate for the neurocognitive impairment that is frequent among such preterm infants.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ajayi-Obe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000254:growth & development*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging