Does very premature birth affect the functioning of the somatosensory cortex? — A magnetoencephalography study

Cortical somatosensory processing measured by magnetoencephalography predicts neurodevelopment in extremely low-gestational-age infants

“…Most previous preterm SEP studies have focused on the first cortical response as a predictor of sensorimotor outcome because it reflects the integrity of the somatosensory pathways from the periphery to the SI (21,22). In the current study, as in a previous MEG study (18), SI response was seen in every infant, thus having no predictive value in our study population consisting of ELGA infants with relatively mild neuroimaging abnormalities. Only few SEP studies have paid attention to later cortical components.…”

“…In addition, in a preliminary MEG study in preterm infants, SII response was often absent at term in infants with anatomical lesion in the underlying hemisphere. However, in that study, the neurodevelopmental outcome of the infants was not available (18). In the current study, the abnormal SII response in MEG was associated with poor total DQ and locomotor SQ in GMDS.…”

“…Activity from both the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) and the secondary somatosensory cortex (SII) can be detected and modeled in both newborn term infants and ELGA infants at term Articles Rahkonen et al equivalent age (TEA) (17)(18)(19). Because MEG can detect somatosensory processing beyond primary areas, we wanted to test whether the abnormalities in cortical processing of somatosensory information in ELGA infants, reflected as abnormal somatosensory-evoked magnetic fields (SEFs) at TEA, are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 y of corrected age.…”

Evaluation of somatosensory cortical processing in extremely preterm infants at term with MEG and EEG

“…Data of some of these infants were included for other purposes in previous studies (Nevalainen et al, 2008b;Rahkonen et al, 2013). The infants were recruited to the study by a neonatologist (author MM).…”

High-fidelity over the somatosensory cortex revisited: Back to basics

“…Although both methods reflect electrical activity over the cortex, MEG presents significant advantages due to the fact that it is minimally affected by skull thickness and conductivity, as well by fontanels and sutures (Nevalainen et al, 2008b;Pihko et al, 2009). Recent MEG studies have provided new insights into the generators of somatosensory responses in infants and children.…”