title: Functional connectivity in preterm infants derived from EEG coherence analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the neuronal connectivity in preterm infants between homologous channels of both hemispheres.
  
  
  METHODS
  EEG coherence analysis was performed on serial EEG recordings collected from preterm infants with normal neurological follow-up. The coherence spectrum was divided in frequency bands: δnewborn(0-2 Hz), θnewborn(2-6 Hz), αnewborn(6-13 Hz), βnewborn(13-30 Hz). Coherence values were evaluated as a function of gestational age (GA) and postnatal maturation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All spectra show two clear peaks in the δnewborn and θnewborn-band, corresponding to the delta and theta EEG waves observed in preterm infants. In the δnewborn-band the peak magnitude coherence decreases with GA and postnatal maturation for all channels. In the θnewborn-band, the peak magnitude coherence decreases with GA for all channels, but increases with postnatal maturation for the frontal polar channels. In the βnewborn-band a modest magnitude coherence peak was observed in the occipital channels, which decreases with GA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interhemispherical connectivity develops analogously with electrocortical maturation: signal intensities at low frequencies decrease with GA and postnatal maturation, but increase at high frequencies with postnatal maturation. In addition, peak magnitude coherence is a clear trend indicator for brain maturation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coherence analysis can aid in the clinical assessment of the functional connectivity of the infant brain with maturation.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Physics, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: e.meijer@mmc.nl.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.affiliation: Clinical Physics, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, The Netherlands; Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K H M
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zwanenburg
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics and Technology, Maasstad Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jennekens
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Niemarkt
authors.affiliation: Medical Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P J M
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cluitmans
authors.affiliation: Clinical Physics, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Pul
authors.affiliation: Clinical Physics, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, The Netherlands; Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P F F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Wijn
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, The Netherlands; Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Science, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.andriessen@mmc.nl.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andriessen
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Coherence; Computer-assisted signal processing; EEG; Maturation; Preterm infant