Abstract
White matter microstructure, essential for efficient and coordinated transmission of neural communications, undergoes pronounced development during the first years of life, while deviations to this neurodevelopmental trajectory likely result in alterations of brain connectivity relevant to behavior. Hence, systematic evaluation of white matter microstructure in the normative brain is critical for a neuroscientific approach to both typical and atypical early behavioral development. However, few studies have examined the infant brain in detail, particularly in infants under 3 months of age. Here, we utilize quantitative techniques of diffusion tensor imaging and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging to investigate neonatal white matter microstructure in 104 infants. An optimized multiple b-value diffusion protocol was developed to allow for successful acquisition during non-sedated sleep. Associations between white matter microstructure measures and gestation corrected age, regional asymmetries, infant sex, as well as newborn growth measures were assessed. Results highlight changes of white matter microstructure during the earliest periods of development and demonstrate differential timing of developing regions and regional asymmetries. Our results contribute to a growing body of research investigating the neurobiological changes associated with neurodevelopment and suggest that characteristics of white matter microstructure are already underway in the weeks immediately following birth.
Highlights
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides detailed brain images and can non-invasively track changes associated with white matter development[8,9,10]
13.88% of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) were dropped from each participant during the quality control procedure due to motion related artifacts, with most of these images being from the largest b-value
We investigated regional characteristics of infant white matter microstructure from a large cohort of one-month old infants using conventional (DTI) and multicompartment (NODDI) models of diffusion
Summary
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides detailed brain images and can non-invasively track changes associated with white matter development[8,9,10]. NODDI parameters indicate increased axon dispersion and lower axon density compared to control infants, and these parameters associated with poorer functional outcomes in the very preterm children[14] These studies provide valuable insight into developmental profiles of the brain while demonstrating the utility of dMRI methodology. We quantify DTI and NODDI parameters within white matter regions and assess associations of these measures with gestation corrected age, regional asymmetries, infant sex, and markers of child development, such as head circumference and birth weight and length. We compare white matter microstructure measures between DTI and NODDI at this early stage of development to assess whether these measures are sensitive to similar or dissimilar aspects of the microstructure These analyses provide an important step for understanding the normative features of white matter microstructure present at the first month of life
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