Relationship between the area of corpus callosum and neurodevelopmental outcomes in very preterm infants

Objective To investigate the relationship between the area of corpus callosum and neurodevelopmental outcomes in very preterm infants. Methods Brain magnetic resonance (MR) images of 106 term infants with gestational age 40 weeks were obtained, which were collected in 24h after birth. Brain MR images of 130 very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates at 40-week gestational age equivalent were successfully obtained. A total of 228 eligible MR images of them were chosen, and divided into the full-term infant group (100 cases) and the premature infant group (128 cases). The whole and sub-regional corpus callosum areas were calculated. The 20-neuromotor examinations were performed at 3 months of corrected gestational age. Results The whole corpus callosum, anterior mid-body, posterior mid-body, isthmus and splenium area in very premature infant group were significantly smaller than those in full-term infant group (P 0.05). The genu area in the abnormal nervimotion group was significantly smaller than that in the normal nervimotion group (P 0.05). Conclusions The development of very premature infant corpus callosum is affected by prematurity, especially posterior end of corpus callosum. Adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes at 3 months of corrected gestational age may be associated with decreased genu area of corpus callosum in very preterm infants. Key words: Infant, premature/PH/GD; Corpus callosum; Nervous system/GD; Magnetic resonance imaging