MRI Findings in Prematurely-Born Adolescents and Young Adults Who Screen Positive for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is three to four times more common in prematurely-born children (<37 weeks' gestation) than term-born children.1 The relationship between lower gestational age and ASD is independent of familial and environmental factors, suggesting a potential causal link.2 Term-equivalent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings do not reliably predict ASD in preterm infants,3 and little is known about MRI findings in preterm children with ASD imaged later in childhood. To address this gap, we screened adolescents and young adults for ASD as part of a longitudinal cohort study of MRI in preterm infants4 and compared neonatal and follow-up MRI findings by ASD screening status.