Neonatal brain dynamic functional connectivity in term and preterm infants and its association with early childhood neurodevelopment

Lucas G. S. França; Judit Ciarrusta; Oliver Gale-Grant; Sunniva Fenn-Moltu; Sean Fitzgibbon; Andrew Chew; Shona Falconer; Ralica Dimitrova; Lucilio Cordero-Grande; Anthony N. Price; Emer Hughes; Jonathan O’Muircheartaigh; Eugene Duff; Jetro J. Tuulari; Gustavo Deco; Serena J. Counsell; Joseph V. Hajnal; Chiara Nosarti; Tomoki Arichi; A. David Edwards; Grainne McAlonan; Dafnis Batalle

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-44050-z

Nature Communications (Feb 2024)

Neonatal brain dynamic functional connectivity in term and preterm infants and its association with early childhood neurodevelopment

Lucas G. S. França,
Judit Ciarrusta,
Oliver Gale-Grant,
Sunniva Fenn-Moltu,
Sean Fitzgibbon,
Andrew Chew,
Shona Falconer,
Ralica Dimitrova,
Lucilio Cordero-Grande,
Anthony N. Price,
Emer Hughes,
Jonathan O’Muircheartaigh,
Eugene Duff,
Jetro J. Tuulari,
Gustavo Deco,
Serena J. Counsell,
Joseph V. Hajnal,
Chiara Nosarti,
Tomoki Arichi,
A. David Edwards,
Grainne McAlonan,
Dafnis Batalle

Affiliations

Lucas G. S. França: Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
Judit Ciarrusta: Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
Oliver Gale-Grant: Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
Sunniva Fenn-Moltu: Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
Sean Fitzgibbon: Oxford Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford
Andrew Chew: Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London
Shona Falconer: Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London
Ralica Dimitrova: Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
Lucilio Cordero-Grande: Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London
Anthony N. Price: Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London
Emer Hughes: Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London
Jonathan O’Muircheartaigh: Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
Eugene Duff: Oxford Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford
Jetro J. Tuulari: FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku
Gustavo Deco: Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Pompeu Fabra University
Serena J. Counsell: Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London
Joseph V. Hajnal: Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London
Chiara Nosarti: Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London
Tomoki Arichi: Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London
A. David Edwards: Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London
Grainne McAlonan: Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
Dafnis Batalle: Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44050-z
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 15, no. 1
pp. 1 – 15

Abstract

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Abstract Brain dynamic functional connectivity characterises transient connections between brain regions. Features of brain dynamics have been linked to emotion and cognition in adult individuals, and atypical patterns have been associated with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism. Although reliable functional brain networks have been consistently identified in neonates, little is known about the early development of dynamic functional connectivity. In this study we characterise dynamic functional connectivity with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in the first few weeks of postnatal life in term-born (n = 324) and preterm-born (n = 66) individuals. We show that a dynamic landscape of brain connectivity is already established by the time of birth in the human brain, characterised by six transient states of neonatal functional connectivity with changing dynamics through the neonatal period. The pattern of dynamic connectivity is atypical in preterm-born infants, and associated with atypical social, sensory, and repetitive behaviours measured by the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) scores at 18 months of age.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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