title: Visual evoked potentials in disproportionately growth-retarded human neonates.
abstract: To study brain function in the neonatal period, disproportionately growth-retarded (n = 33) and appropriately grown (n = 21) infants were examined using Doppler flow velocities prenatally and visual evoked potentials postnatally. Visual evoked potentials recordings were made at gestation of 40 and 46 weeks. The group of growth-retarded infants had significantly prolonged latencies to both of the two major peaks (designated P and N), most pronounced for the P peak. This result was observed at both ages investigated and corresponds to a developmental delay of 3 weeks. For individuals, the increase in P latency correlated to prenatal flow indices and to neonatal anthropometric parameters indicative of growth retardation. We conclude that in utero growth retardation affects brain development as assessed by visual evoked potentials in the neonatal period. This developmental delay may be produced by intracerebral factors during the process of growth retardation, and these alterations may have a prognostic value.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: C Magnus
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Thordstein
authors.forename: Bo L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Sultan
authors.forename: Margareta M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Wennergren
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Törnqvist
authors.forename: Kaj G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Lindecrantz
authors.forename: Ingemar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kjellmer
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging