Detection of Impaired Growth of the Corpus Callosum in Premature Infants

Abstract

The effect of preterm birth on growth of the corpus callosum is detectable by 6 weeks after delivery in preterm infants born at gestations of 23 to 33 weeks. Reduced growth of the corpus callosum in weeks 2 to 6, places these infants at elevated risks of later psychomotor delay and cerebral palsy.

Pontine Hypoplasia in Children with Periventricular Leukomalacia

“…1 In reports on a bedside sonography study about very premature infants, the lengths of the corpus callosum at term equivalency were significantly shorter than those in control infants, and the growth rate of corpus callosal length to term equivalent age has significant correlation with clinical outcome. 16,17 Our study proved that the quantitative growth patterns of the corpus callosal length in the PVL group are significantly different from the control groups after the infant period. We consider that this result supports the possible explanation that the growth pattern of corpus callosal length may reflect growth and maturation of white matter itself.…”

“…13,14 In addition, in sonography studies regarding very premature infants, the length of the corpus callosum at term equivalency was significantly shorter than that in control infants, and the growth rate of corpus callosal length has significant correlation with clinical outcome. 15,16 We then consider that the length of the corpus callosum, as well as its size and shape, reflects the volume of the myelinated white matter. Consequently, the significant correlation between whole pontine diameter and corpus callosal length may reflect the volume of the cerebral myelinated white matter.…”

High-field diffusion tensor imaging characterization of cerebral white matter injury in lipopolysaccharide-exposed fetal sheep

“…In addition to the global decrease in WM volume, we found a significant reduction in the thickness of the CC at 10 d after LPS exposure. Preterm infants also exhibit altered growth of the CC (25), which is associated with neuromotor delay at 2 y of age (26). Further, reduced thickness of the CC measured by MRI at term-equivalent age in infants born prematurely was predictive of later neurocognitive deficits (27) and was shown to persist into adolescence (28).…”

The development of potentially better practices to support the neurodevelopment of infants in the NICU

“…Serial ultrasonography demonstrates diminished growth of the corpus callosum in the 23 to 33 weeks gestation preterm infant, with speculation that this finding may be a macroscopic correlate of diminished synaptic connectivity. 473 Diffusion tensor imaging has demonstrated measurable differences in cortical myelination for patients with controlled variation in early exogenous experience. 474 This is an emerging field of study, and presently it is our working assumption that the optimal environment for the developing fetal brain is the human womb, and that the NICU environment of the preterm infant is a less favorable environment.…”