An analysis of MRI derived cortical complexity in premature-born adults: Regional patterns, risk factors, and potential significance
Dennis M. Hedderich,
Josef G. Bäuml,
Aurore Menegaux,
Mihai Avram,
Marcel Daamen,
Claus Zimmer,
Peter Bartmann,
Lukas Scheef,
Henning Boecker,
Dieter Wolke,
Christian Gaser,
Christian Sorg
Affiliations
Dennis M. Hedderich
Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Germany; Corresponding author. Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany. Tel.: 0049 89 4140 4652; Fax: 0049 89 4140 4653.
Josef G. Bäuml
Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Germany
Aurore Menegaux
Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Germany
Mihai Avram
Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Germany
Marcel Daamen
Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Claus Zimmer
Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Germany
Peter Bartmann
Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Lukas Scheef
Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Henning Boecker
Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Dieter Wolke
Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK; Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
Christian Gaser
Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
Christian Sorg
Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
Premature birth bears an increased risk for aberrant brain development concerning its structure and function. Cortical complexity (CC) expresses the fractal dimension of the brain surface and changes during neurodevelopment. We hypothesized that CC is altered after premature birth and associated with long-term cognitive development.One-hundred-and-one very premature-born adults (gestational age <32 weeks and/or birth weight <1500 g) and 111 term-born adults were assessed by structural MRI and cognitive testing at 26 years of age. CC was measured based on MRI by vertex-wise estimation of fractal dimension. Cognitive performance was measured based on Griffiths-Mental-Development-Scale (at 20 months) and Wechsler-Adult-Intelligence-Scales (at 26 years).In premature-born adults, CC was decreased bilaterally in large lateral temporal and medial parietal clusters. Decreased CC was associated with lower gestational age and birth weight. Furthermore, decreased CC in the medial parietal cortices was linked with reduced full-scale IQ of premature-born adults and mediated the association between cognitive development at 20 months and IQ in adulthood.Results demonstrate that CC is reduced in very premature-born adults in temporoparietal cortices, mediating the impact of prematurity on impaired cognitive development. These data indicate functionally relevant long-term alterations in the brain’s basic geometry of cortical organization in prematurity.
