A Brief Review on Brain Maturation of Preterm Infants

Abstract

Premature birth can have lasting effects on the brain development and psychological
health of individuals. This paper reviews a study that used a normative brain age model to
compare the brain structure and function of preterm and full-term adolescents using magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI). The study found that preterm adolescents had reduced volume and
thickness in some grey matter regions, but increased volume and thickness in others, possibly
due to age differences. Preterm adolescents also had higher brain age scores and higher rates of
psychological disorders than full-term adolescents. The paper discusses the implications of these
findings for understanding the neurodevelopment consequences of premature birth and the
potential interventions to improve the outcomes of preterm infants.