title: Gray matter volumetric MRI differences late-preterm and term infants.
abstract: Gray matter develops rapidly during the third trimester of pregnancy, which is a critical period for lipid deposition. We measured brain volume in term and late-preterm infants to determine if it is related to disabilities in late-preterm infants. In addition, we measured serum lipid concentrations to investigate the relationship between brain volume and lipid nutrition. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained in 16 late-preterm and 13 term infants. We measured cerebrum, gray matter, and white matter volumes. We performed serum cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), and lipoprotein analyses in cord blood by high-performance liquid chromatography using gel permeation columns to assess lipid nutritional levels. The gray matter volume and percent cerebrum volume of gray matter were significantly smaller in late-preterm infants (p<0.001). Head circumference and cerebrum and white matter volume did not differ between the two groups. Gray matter volume correlated positively with gestational age (r=0.647, p<0.001), head circumference (r=0.688, p<0.001), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-TG levels (r=0.496, p=0.006). Late-preterm infants had a normal head circumference and a lower gray matter volume than term infants. Gestational age and head circumference were significantly associated with gray matter volume. Only HDL-TG levels were significantly associated with gray matter volume. HDL-TG might contribute to the transport of fatty acids and gray matter development during the postnatal period. Thus, delayed gray matter development may partly contribute to neurodevelopmental disabilities in late-preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Munakata
authors.forename: Tomoo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okahashi
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Usukura
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makimoto
authors.forename: Shigeharu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hosono
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mugishima
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okuhata
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D002508:Cephalometry; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated; D036421:Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated; D009929:Organ Size; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol