Brain structure and function in the fourth decade of life after extremely low birth weight: An MRI and EEG study

Karen J Mathewson; Elliott A Beaton; Diana Hobbs; Geoffrey B C Hall; Jay Schulkin; Ryan J Van Lieshout; Saroj Saigal; Louis A Schmidt

doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2023.06.006

Brain structure and function in the fourth decade of life after extremely low birth weight: An MRI and EEG study

Clin Neurophysiol. 2023 Oct:154:85-99. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2023.06.006. Epub 2023 Jun 28.

Authors

Karen J Mathewson¹, Elliott A Beaton², Diana Hobbs³, Geoffrey B C Hall⁴, Jay Schulkin⁵, Ryan J Van Lieshout⁶, Saroj Saigal⁷, Louis A Schmidt⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. Electronic address: mathewkj@mcmaster.ca.
² Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA.
³ Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA; Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁵ Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁷ Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

PMID: 37595482
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2023.06.006

Abstract

Objective: To examine potential long-term effects of extremely low birth weight (ELBW; ≤ 1000 g) on adult brain structure, brain function, and cognitive-behavioral performance.

Methods: A subset of survivors from the prospectively-followed McMaster ELBW Cohort (n = 23, M_BW = 816 g) and their peers born at normal birth weight (NBW; ≥ 2500 g; n = 14, M_BW = 3361 g) provided T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans, resting electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings, and behavioral responses to a face-processing task in their early thirties.

Results: Visual discrimination accuracy for human faces, resting EEG alpha power, and long-distance alpha coherence were lower in ELBW survivors than NBW adults, and volumes of white matter hypointensities (WMH) were higher. Across groups, face-processing performance was correlated positively with posterior EEG spectral power and long-distance alpha and theta coherence, and negatively with WMH. The associations between face-processing scores and parietal alpha power and theta coherence were reduced after adjustment for WMH.

Conclusions: Electrocortical activity, brain functional connectivity, and higher-order processing ability may be negatively affected by WMH burden, which is greater in adults born extremely preterm.

Significance: Decrements in electrocortical activity and behavioral performance in adult ELBW survivors may be partly explained by increased WMH volumes in this vulnerable population.

Keywords: Adult; Electroencephalographic (EEG); Extremely low birth weight; Face-processing; Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Brain* / diagnostic imaging
Brain* / physiology
Electroencephalography
Humans
Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight* / physiology
Infant, Newborn
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Visual Perception

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding