Brain Connectivity during Early Development: Bridging Anatomical and Functional Data

早期发育过程中的大脑连接：连接解剖和功能数据

• 批准号: G0701782/1
• 负责人: Fani Deligianni
• 金额: $ 35.32万
• 依托单位: Imperial College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2008 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=G0701782%2F1
• 关键词: Brain; Connectivity; during; Early; Development

Recent reports show that the rate of pre-term births is a growing public health problem and it has significant consequences for both families and society. Babies born before 32 weeks have the highest risk for death and several developmental disorders. Infants born between 32 to 36 weeks are still at higher risk for poor health outcomes compared to those born full term. Improvements in the treatment of pre-term infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units have helped greatly to improve their survival. However, these infants are vulnerable to mental and cognitive impairment that are sometimes only diagnosed in childhood. This study is looks into modelling the growth and variability of brain connectivity in pre-term infants from 23 to 40 weeks of gestational age. Connectional complexity accounts for most of brain stability and efficiency. However, there are no systematic work on what a typical connectivity map is and how differences in atypical development are linked to it. This project aims to exploit latest methodological and imaging advances to create a framework that describes and quantifies connectivity changes during development. The research outcomes will have an impact on a number of disciplines, including medicine, neuroscience, psychology and genetics.

最近的报告显示，早产率是一个日益严重的公共卫生问题，对家庭和社会都有重大影响。32周前出生的婴儿死亡和出现几种发育障碍的风险最高。与足月出生的婴儿相比，32至36周出生的婴儿健康状况不佳的风险仍然更高。新生儿重症监护病房早产儿治疗的改善大大提高了他们的存活率。然而，这些婴儿容易受到精神和认知障碍的影响，有时只有在儿童时期才被诊断出来。这项研究着眼于模拟23至40周胎龄早产儿大脑连接的生长和变异性。连接复杂性在很大程度上决定了大脑的稳定性和效率。然而，对于什么是典型的连通性图以及非典型发展的差异是如何与之联系在一起的，目前还没有系统的研究。该项目旨在利用最新的方法和成像技术来创建一个框架，以描述和量化开发过程中的连接变化。这些研究成果将对包括医学、神经科学、心理学和遗传学在内的许多学科产生影响。