title: Accelerated corpus callosum development in prematurity predicts improved outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine: (1) whether corpus callosum (CC) size and microstructure at 7 years of age or their change from infancy to 7 years differed between very preterm (VP) and full-term (FT) children; (2) perinatal predictors of CC size and microstructure at 7 years; and (3) associations between CC measures at 7 years or trajectories from infancy to 7 years and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-six VP (gestational age [GA] <30 weeks and/or birth weight <1,250 g) and 33 FT children had usable magnetic resonance images at 7 years of age, and of these, 76 VP and 16 FT infants had usable data at term equivalent age. The CC was traced and divided into six sub-regions. Fractional anisotropy, mean, axial, radial diffusivity and volume were measured from tractography. Perinatal data were collected, and neurodevelopmental tests administered at 7 years' corrected age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VP children had smaller posterior CC regions, higher diffusivity and lower fractional anisotropy compared with FT 7-year-olds. Reduction in diffusivity over time occurred faster in VP than FT children (P ≤ 0.002). Perinatal brain abnormality and earlier GA were associated with CC abnormalities. Microstructural abnormalities at 7 years or slower development of the CC were associated with motor dysfunction, poorer mathematics and visual perception.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is the first to demonstrate an accelerated trajectory of CC white matter diffusion following VP birth, associated with improved neurodevelopmental functioning. Findings suggest there is a window of opportunity for neurorestorative intervention to improve outcomes. Hum Brain Mapp 36:3733-3748, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Deanne K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Katherine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Loeka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Bijnen
authors.affiliation: Imaging Science Institute, University Medical Center, Utrecht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leemans
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Leona
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pascoe
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Shannon E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Scratch
authors.affiliation: Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Jeanie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.affiliation: Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Gary F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.|Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St Louis Medical School, St Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Terrie E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Inder
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Lex W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St Louis Medical School, St Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007223:Infant; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature / Q000254:growth & development; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
keywords: MRI; diffusion-weighted imaging; neurodevelopment; preterm; white matter