title: Alterations in cortical thickness development in preterm-born individuals: Implications for high-order cognitive functions.
abstract: Very preterm birth (gestational age <33 weeks) is associated with alterations in cortical thickness and with neuropsychological/behavioural impairments. Here we studied cortical thickness in very preterm born individuals and controls in mid-adolescence (mean age 15 years) and beginning of adulthood (mean age 20 years), as well as longitudinal changes between the two time points. Using univariate approaches, we showed both increases and decreases in cortical thickness in very preterm born individuals compared to controls. Specifically (1) very preterm born adolescents displayed extensive areas of greater cortical thickness, especially in occipitotemporal and prefrontal cortices, differences which decreased substantially by early adulthood; (2) at both time points, very preterm-born participants showed smaller cortical thickness, especially in parahippocampal and insular regions. We then employed a multivariate approach (support vector machine) to study spatially discriminating features between the two groups, which achieved a mean accuracy of 86.5%. The spatially distributed regions in which cortical thickness best discriminated between the groups (top 5%) included temporal, occipitotemporal, parietal and prefrontal cortices. Within these spatially distributed regions (top 1%), longitudinal changes in cortical thickness in left temporal pole, right occipitotemporal gyrus and left superior parietal lobe were significantly associated with scores on language-based tests of executive function. These results describe alterations in cortical thickness development in preterm-born individuals in their second decade of life, with implications for high-order cognitive processing.
authors: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Partners, King's College London, London, UK. Electronic address: kie_woo.nam@kcl.ac.uk.
authors: Kie Woo
authors: KW
authors: Nam
authors: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Partners, King's College London, London, UK.
authors: Nazareth
authors: N
authors: Castellanos
authors: Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Partners, King's College London, London, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Partners, King's College London, London, UK.
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Simmons
authors: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Partners, King's College London, London, UK.
authors: Seán
authors: S
authors: Froudist-Walsh
authors: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Partners, King's College London, London, UK.
authors: Matthew P
authors: MP
authors: Allin
authors: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Partners, King's College London, London, UK.
authors: Muriel
authors: M
authors: Walshe
authors: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Partners, King's College London, London, UK.
authors: Robin M
authors: RM
authors: Murray
authors: Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Evans
authors: Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Partners, King's College London, London, UK.
authors: J-Sebastian
authors: JS
authors: Muehlboeck
authors: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Partners, King's College London, London, UK; Centre for the Developing Brain, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, King's Health Partners, St. Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Nosarti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D060388:Support Vector Machine; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cortical thickness; MRI; Neuropsychological outcome; Preterm; Support vector machine