Article

AIM: To elucidate neurobiological changes underlying motor impairments in
adolescents born extremely preterm (gestation <28wks) and/or with extremely low
birthweight (ELBW, <1000g),
our aims were the following:
(1) to compare
corticospinal tract (CST) microstructure and primary motor cortex (M1) volume,
area, and thickness between extremely preterm/ELBW adolescents and a comparison
group with normal birthweight
(>2499g); (2) to compare CST microstructure and M1
volume, area, and thickness between extremely preterm/ELBW adolescents with
cerebral palsy (CP), motor impairment without CP, and no motor impairment; and
(3) to investigate associations between CST microstructure and M1 measures.
METHOD: This study used diffusion and structural magnetic resonance imaging to
examine the CST and M1 in a geographical cohort of 191 extremely preterm/ELBW
adolescents (mean age 18y 2.4mo [SD 9.6mo]; 87 males,
104 females) and 141
adolescents in the comparison group (mean age 18y 1.2mo [SD 9.6mo]; 59 males, 82
females). RESULTS: Extremely preterm/ELBW adolescents had higher CST axial,
radial, and mean diffusivities and lower M1 thickness than the comparison group.
Extremely preterm/ELBW adolescents with CP had higher CST diffusivities than
non-motor-impaired extremely preterm/ELBW adolescents. CST diffusivities
correlated with M1 volume and area. INTERPRETATION: Extremely preterm/ELBW
adolescents have altered CST microstructure, which is associated with CP.
Furthermore, the results elucidate how CST and M1 alterations interrelate to
potentially influence motor function in extremely preterm/ELBW adolescents.
CI - (c) 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS