Diffusion MRI of the infant brain reveals unique asymmetry patterns during the first-half-year of development

• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118465
• Publication Date: 2021-08-10T07:18:31Z
• Authors: Tingting Liu; Fusheng Gao; Weihao Zheng; Yuqing You; Zhiyong Zhao; Ying Lv; Weijun Chen; Hongxi Zhang; Chai Ji; Dan Wu
• Keywords: Brain asymmetry; Human brain; Neocortex; Brain Development

The human brain demonstrates anatomical and functional lateralization/asymmetry between the left right hemispheres, such asymmetry is known to start from early age of life. However, how changes with development during infancy remained unknown. In this study, we aimed systematically investigate spatiotemporal pattern in healthy preterm-born infants first-half-year development, using high angular resolution diffusion MRI. Sixty-five (gestational 25.3–36.6 weeks) were scanned postmenstrual (PMA) ranging term-equivalent (TEA) 6-months. At regional level, performed a region-of-interest-based analysis by segmenting into 63 symmetrical pairs regions, based on which laterality index was assessed correlated PMA. voxel fixel-based each fiber component native left-right flipped data, separately TEA-1 month, 1–3 months, 3–6 months groups. infant brains demonstrated extensive regions structural their first half-of-year A distinct central-peripheral observed mean diffusivity, namely, leftward lateralization neocortex rightward deep regions. Besides, posterior higher compared anterior all metrics, congruent developmental caudal rostral. Regionally, language processing showed asymmetry, while visuospatial exhibited fractional anisotropy, fibre density, cross-section measurements, most white matter lateralized these measurements. several (12 out 63) significant diffusivity. fixel inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus extent increased summary, results revealed unique patterns macro- micro-structural life, dynamically changed age. These findings may contribute understanding infancy.