Longitudinal Changes in the Sensorimotor Pathways of Very Preterm Infants During the First Year of Life With and Without Intervention: A Pilot Study.

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate longitudinal changes in brain microstructure and volumes in very preterm infants during the first year of life with and without intervention.Design: Descriptive pilot study.Methods: Five preterm infants in a three-arm clinical trial, one SPEEDI Early, two SPEEDI Late, and two usual care. Brain structural and diffusion MRI's were acquired within 72 hours after neonatal intensive care unit discharge (n = 5), three months post-baseline (n = 5), and six months post-baseline (n = 3). Fractional anisotropy (FA), Mean diffusivity (MD), and volume metrics were computed for five brain regions.Results: More than 60% of eligible participants completed 100% of the scheduled MRIs. FA and volume increased from baseline to six months across all brain regions. Rate of white matter volume change from baseline to six months was highest in SPEEDI Early.Conclusions: Non-sedated longitudinal MRI is feasible in very preterm infants and appears to demonstrate longitudinal changes in brain structure and connectivity.