title: Functional brain maturation assessed during early life correlates with anatomical brain maturation at term-equivalent age in preterm infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) is a reliable monitoring tool for electrocortical activity with good predictive value in preterm infants. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a good neuroimaging tool to detect brain lesions and to evaluate brain maturation. We hypothesized that early aEEG measures, recorded over the first 3 d of life in very preterm infants, correlate with brain maturation and injury score assessed by conventional MRI at term-equivalent age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine infants born at a mean (range) gestational age (GA) of 29.5 (27.0-31.9) wk and birth weight 1,230 (680-2,020) g had continuous aEEG during the first postnatal 72-84 h. aEEG maturity scores and average maximum and minimum amplitudes were evaluated. Conventional brain MRI was performed at 41.2 (37.1-44.1) wk postmenstrual age (PMA) on a 3T GE system and scored qualitatively for injury and maturation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average aEEG total maturity score and its cycling subscore were positively and significantly associated with the total MRI maturation score after adjustment for GA, morphine sedation, and PMA at MRI examination. No association was found between the aEEG measures and the MRI injury scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early aEEG maturity seems to relate to structural MRI brain maturation at term-equivalent age in preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. giancarlo.natalucci@usz.ch
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Natalucci
authors.forename: Russia Ha-Vinh
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Leuchter
authors.forename: Hans Ulrich
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Bucher
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Latal
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.forename: Petra S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Hüppi
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hagmann
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male