title: In and ex utero maturation of premature infants electroencephalographic indices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of extra uterine life on continuity and amplitude of premature infants' cerebral activity at different gestational age as compared to soon after birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stable infants less than 34weeks gestation were prospectively recruited and EEG was recorded bi-weekly. Interburst interval and different wavelength amplitudes were digitally measured during the most discontinuous and most continuous (periods with longest and shortest interburst intervals, respectively) parts of the tracings. Linear regression was used to assess conceptional age prediction of interburst interval and wavelength amplitudes. Significant regression results were compared to the group of babies recorded close to delivery (newborn group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  144 EEG tracings from 59 infants were analyzed. Interburst intervals were significantly predicted by conceptional age in the newborn group only (p⩽0.002). Delta and theta amplitudes were significantly predicted by conceptional age in the newborn group and most of the other conceptional age groups (p<0.004). No significant differences were detected between the different groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data reiterates the normal maturation of cerebral activity in the premature infant and support the concept of similar in and ex-utero maturation of cerebral activity in stable premature infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effect of ex-utero maturation on the brain of stable premature infant is not readily discernible when using specific neonatal EEG indices.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel; Neonatal Department, Soroka Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel. Electronic address: eshany@bgu.ac.il.
authors.forename: Eilon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shany
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel; Neonatal Department, Soroka Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meledin
authors.affiliation: Orgil Medical Instruments, Or Akiva, Israel.
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gilat
authors.affiliation: Academic College of Tel-Aviv Yaffo, 2 Rabeno Yeruham St., Israel.
authors.forename: Hagai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yogev
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel; Neonatal Department, Soroka Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golan
authors.affiliation: Neuro-Cognitive Center, Pediatric Wing, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center (Mt. Scopus Campus), Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Itai
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000502:physiology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Electroencephalography; Maturation; Neonates; Prematurity