The need for neuromonitoring during the golden hour to prevent preterm brain injury

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Thanks to the development of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the chances of surviving preterm birth, defined as a birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy, has increased steadily over the past few decades. Unfortunately preterm infants, particularly the very young (< 28 weeks) and very small (< 1000 g), are extremely vulnerable to brain injury. This is believed to be due to the combination of poor lung and heart function and an inability of the vessels in the brain to self-regulate blood flow. The result can be periods of dangerously low blood flow to the brain, which can lead to permanent damage. One of the most critical times is the first few hours of life a period referred to as the golden hour. The objective of this study is to develop an easy-to-use, light-based system for monitoring brain blood flow during the golden hour period. Light-based technologies are ideal for this fragile patient population because they are non-invasive only requiring the placement of a few light sources and detectors on the scalp and extremely safe. It is our hope that the technology developed as part of this project will provide timely detection of brain flow abnormalities, which will enable the NICU team to take corrective measures to restore normal flow. In turn, this will avoid the types of brain injury associated with life-long medical problems, such as cerebral palsy and learning disabilities, that are unfortunately all too common amongst preterm babies