Morphometric alterations of the gray matter of the frontal lobe during childhood in healthy children born prematurely. Repercussions of foetal and postnatal growth restriction.

BACKGROUND/

OBJECTIVES

To determine, in healthy children born prematurely with very low birth weight (VLBW), whether the cerebral morphometry of the frontal lobe is affected by foetal growth restriction (FGR) and extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR).

SUBJECTS/

METHODS

A magnetic resonance imaging study was performed of 117 children during childhood within a cohort of VLBW infants. A neuropsychological study was performed using the WISC-V test and the Child Behaviour Checklist scale.

RESULTS

In children with FGR and EUGR, the volume of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex was reduced in both hemispheres. In this group of children, we observed smaller volumes of the pars opercularis in the right hemisphere.

CONCLUSIONS

We can conclude that FGR with EUGR in VLBW infants is associated with smaller volumes and surface area of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex in both hemispheres. These nutritional situations do not condition relevant structural modifications in the rest of the studied structures of the frontal lobe in our sample.