In preterm neonates, greater energy and enteral feeding during the first 2 weeks of life predicted more robust brain growth and accelerated WM maturation. The long-lasting effect of early nutrition on neurodevelopment may be mediated by enhanced brain growth. Optimizing nutrition in preterm neonates may represent a potential avenue to mitigate the adverse brain health consequences of critical illness.

Evaluations of evidence-based, easily accessible, psychological interventions to improve maternal mental health following very preterm birth are scarce. This study investigated the efficacy and acceptability of the expressive writing paradigm for mothers of very preterm infants. The level of maternal posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms was the primary outcome. Participants were 67 mothers of very preterm babies who were randomly allocated into the intervention (expressive writing; n = 33) or control group (treatment-as-usual; n = 32) when their infant was aged 3 months (corrected age, CA). Measurements were taken 3 months (preintervention), 4 months (post-intervention), and 6 months CA (follow-up). Results showed reduced maternal posttraumatic stress (d=0.42), depressive symptoms (d=0.67), and an improved mental health status (d=1.20) in the intervention group, which were maintained at follow-up.Expressive writing is a brief, cost-effective, and acceptable therapeutic approach that could be offered as part of the NICU care.

BackgroundWhile survival rates of extremely preterm infants have improved over the last decades, the incidence of neurodevelopmental disability (ND) in survivors remains high. Representative current data on the severity of disability and of risk factors associated with poor outcome in this growing population are necessary for clinical guidance and parent counselling.MethodsProspective longitudinal multicentre cohort study of preterm infants born in Switzerland between 240/7 and 276/7 weeks gestational age during 2000–2008. Mortality, adverse outcome (death or severe ND) at two years, and predictors for poor outcome were analysed using multilevel multivariate logistic regression. Neurodevelopment was assessed using Bayley Scales of Infant Development II. Cerebral palsy was graded after the Gross Motor Function Classification System.ResultsOf 1266 live born infants, 422 (33%) died. Follow-up information was available for 684 (81%) survivors: 440 (64%) showed favourable outcome, 166 (24%) moderate ND, and 78 (11%) severe ND. At birth, lower gestational age, intrauterine growth restriction and absence of antenatal corticosteroids were associated with mortality and adverse outcome (p < 0.001). At 360/7 weeks postmenstrual age, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, major brain injury and retinopathy of prematurity were the main predictors for adverse outcome (p < 0.05). Survival without moderate or severe ND increased from 27% to 39% during the observation period (p = 0.02).ConclusionsIn this recent Swiss national cohort study of extremely preterm infants, neonatal mortality was determined by gestational age, birth weight, and antenatal corticosteroids while neurodevelopmental outcome was determined by the major neonatal morbidities. We observed an increase of survival without moderate or severe disability.

Our objectives were to determine whether procedural pain and glucose exposure are associated with altered structural and functional brain development differently in preterm males and females, and neurodevelopment at 18-month corrected age. Fifty-one very preterm neonates (22 males; median [interquartile range] gestational age 27.6 [2.0] weeks) underwent 3 serial scans including T1-weighted and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at median postmenstrual weeks: 29.4, 31.9, and 41.1. Thalamus, basal ganglia, and total brain volumes were segmented. Functional resting-state MRI data were extracted from the independent-components maps. Pain was operationalized as the total number of neonatal intensive care unit-administered invasive procedures. Neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18-month corrected age were assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, second edition. Generalized estimating equations assessed the association of pain and glucose exposure with brain structural and functional development. More invasive procedures were independently associated with slower growth of thalamic (P < 0.001), basal ganglia (P = 0.028), and total brain volumes (P = 0.001), particularly in females. Similar relationships were observed between glucose exposure and brain volumes. Functional connectivity between thalamus and sensorimotor cortices was negatively associated with number of invasive procedures. Greater procedural pain and higher glucose exposure were related to poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes. These findings suggest that structural and functional brain development is vulnerable to procedural pain. Glucose used for analgesia does not appear to mitigate the adverse impact of pain on brain development. The vulnerability of brain development in females towards early pain is distinct from other neonatal morbidities. The link between pain and glucose with neurodevelopment suggests that these factors have long-lasting impact.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:The alteration of brain maturation in preterm infants contributes to neurodevelopmental disabilities during childhood. Serial imaging allows understanding of the mechanisms leading to dysmaturation in the preterm brain. The purpose of the present study was to provide reference quantitative MR imaging measures across time in preterm infants, by using ADC, fractional anisotropy, and T1 maps obtained by using the magnetization-prepared dual rapid acquisition of gradient echo technique.