Meeting Banner
Abstract #2475

Differences in Thalamic Activity & in the Temporal Pattern of Bold Signal between Neonates Born at Term & Preterm: A fMRI Study During Passive Auditory Stimulation.

Elisa Scola1, Silvia Pontesilli1, Roberta Scotti1, Valeria Blasi1, Roberta Longaretti1, Paola Scifo1,2, Sara Cirillo1, Antonella Iadanza1, Antonella Poloniato3, Graziano Barera3, Giuseppe Scotti1, Cristina Baldoli1

1Neuroradiology Department - CERMAC, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy; 2Department of Nuclear Medicine, San Raffaele Scientific Institute; 3Neonatology & Neonatological Intensive Care Unit, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy


Aim of this study was to asses, with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in non-sedated preterm and healthy term neonates, the maturation of cortical areas activated during linguistic passive stimulation. Twenty preterm infants, 25-33 weeks of gestational age, and 16 at term newborn subjects underwent a longitudinal 3 Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. The longitudinal aspect of this study allowed the observation of the functional modifications of the auditory cortex during brain development since 29th week of EA. Moreover, results demonstrated a bilateral posterior thalamic activation in healthy term neonates not present in neonates born preterm.