title: Cortical structural abnormalities in very preterm children at 7 years of age.
abstract: We analyzed long-lasting alterations in brain morphometry associated with preterm birth using volumetric and surface-based analyses applied to children at age 7 years. Comparison of 24 children born very preterm (VPT) to 24 healthy term-born children revealed reductions in total cortical gray matter volume, white matter volume, cortical surface area and gyrification index. Regional cortical shape abnormalities in VPT children included the following: shallower anterior superior temporal sulci, smaller relative surface area in the inferior sensori-motor cortex and posterior superior temporal cortex, larger relative surface area and a cingulate sulcus that was shorter or more interrupted in medial frontoparietal cortex. These findings indicate a complex pattern of regional vulnerabilities in brain development that may contribute to the diverse and long-lasting neurobehavioral consequences that can occur after very premature birth.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical and Biological Science, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Yuning
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Terrie E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Inder
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Neil
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Donna L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dierker
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alexopoulos
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA. Electronic address: vanessen@wustl.edu.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Van Essen
mesh_terms: D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D066127:White Matter / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Cortical surface; Folding; MRI; Relative surface area; Structural abnormality; Very preterm; Volume