Neonatal inflammation and near-term white matter microstructure in infants born very preterm.

Background: Severe neonatal inflammatory conditions in very preterm infants (VPT: <32 weeks gestational age, GA) are linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Differences in white matter (WM) microstructure of the corpus callosum (CC) have been observed at age 6 in VPT children with a history of severe neonatal inflammation. The goal of this study was to determine whether these CC differences can be detected at term-equivalent age using diffusion MRI (dMRI), and whether neonatal inflammation is associated with altered WM in additional tracts implicated in the encephalopathy of prematurity.

Listening to Mom in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A randomized trial of increased maternal speech exposure on white matter connectivity in infants born preterm.

Background: Early speech experiences have been proposed to contribute to the development of brain structures involved in processing spoken language. However, previous research has been limited to correlational studies. Here, we conducted an RCT with preterm neonates to determine whether increased exposure to maternal speech during NICU hospitalization is causally linked to structural white matter maturation.

Early, low-dose hydrocortisone and near-term brain connectivity in extremely preterm infants.

Background: Postnatal steroids are used to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely preterm infants but may have adverse effects on brain development. We assessed connectivity metrics of major cerebral and cerebellar white matter pathways at near-term gestational age among infants who did or did not receive a standardized regimen of hydrocortisone during the first 10 days of life.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study.