title: Region-specific growth restriction of brain following preterm birth.
abstract: Regional brain sizes of very-preterm infants at term-equivalent age differ from those of term-born peers, which have been linked with later cognitive impairments. However, dependence of regional brain volume loss on gestational age has not been studied in detail. To investigate the spatial pattern of brain growth in neonates without destructive brain lesions, head MRI of 189 neonates with a wide range of gestational age (24-42 weeks gestation) was assessed using simple metrics measurements. Dependence of MRI findings on gestational age at birth (Agebirth) and the corrected age at MRI scan (AgeMRI) were assessed. The head circumference was positively correlated with AgeMRI, but not Agebirth. The bi-parietal width, deep grey matter area and the trans-cerebellar diameter were positively correlated with both Agebirthand AgeMRI. The callosal thickness (positive), atrial width of lateral ventricle (negative) and the inter-hemispheric distance (negative) were exclusively correlated with Agebirth. The callosal thickness and cerebral/cerebellar transverse diameters showed predominant dependence on Agebirthover AgeMRI, suggesting that brain growth after preterm-birth was considerably restricted or even became negligible compared with that in utero. Such growth restriction after preterm birth may extensively affect relatively more matured infants, considering the linear relationships observed between brain sizes and Agebirth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.|Centre for Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Imaging Centre, Kurume University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Reiji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saikusa
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Informatics, Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.affiliation: Yanagawa Institute for Developmental Disabilities, International University of Health and Welfare, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.|Centre for Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Osuke
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Iwata