Deanne Kim Thompson1,2, Christopher Adamson1,
Nathan Faggian2, Stephen J. Wood3,4, Gehan Roberts1,
Jeremy Lim1, Simon K. Warfield5, Marc Seal1,
Peter J. Anderson1, Lex W. Doyle1,6, Gary F. Egan2,
Terrie E. Inder1,7
1Murdoch Childrens Research
Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; 2Florey
Neurosciences Institute, Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne,
Parkville, Victoria, Australia; 3Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre,
University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; 4School
of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; 5Department
of Radiology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United
States; 6Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Royal Women's
Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; 7Department of
Pediatrics, St Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University in St Louis,
St Louis, United States
The hippocampus is vulnerable in prematurity. Hippocampal shape alterations have been previously associated with various neurological disorders. This study is the first to examine hippocampal shape changes in very preterm infants, and to investigate shape changes in response to perinatal exposures. Hippocampi were segmented, and the SPHARM-PDM tool was utilized in 184 very preterm and 32 full-term infants. Working memory assessments were performed at 5 years. Very preterm infants showed a diffuse pattern of hippocampal shape change. Shape changes were associated with lung disease and white matter injury. Working memory performance was not associated with hippocampal shape change.