Keywords: Neuro, Pediatric, Maternal anaemia, haemoglobin, high-field MRI, neurodevelopment, neuroimaging, child brain structure

Motivation: It is unknown whether recent findings linking antenatal maternal anaemia with altered brain structure in toddlers persist to later childhood.

Goal(s): This study aimed to determine whether associations of antenatal maternal anaemia with smaller corpus callosum, putamen, and caudate nucleus volumes described in 2–3-year-olds remain at age 6-7 years in the same cohort.

Approach: Linear modeling was used to investigate associations between antenatal maternal anaemia status, maternal haemoglobin concentrations, and child brain volumes.

Results: Antenatal maternal anaemia was associated with smaller volumes of the corpus callosum and caudate nucleus in school-age children, with comparable adjusted volume differences and coefficients to findings in toddlers.

Impact: Evidence that associations of maternal anaemia with brain volumes are consistent and persist from age 2-3 years through to age 6-7 years supports the importance of optimizing antenatal maternal health and reinforces these brain regions as a future research focus.

Keywords: Elastography, Data Analysis, Brain, Liver, Inflammation, Neuroinflammation

Motivation: Obesity is associated with numerous debilitating diseases. Obesity-related conditions once only seen in adults are now being seen in children. Obesity affects numerous organs and may affect a child's ability to learn.

Goal(s): Identify changes in liver and brain stiffness measurements in the pediatric population that may indicate signs of early-stage disease.

Approach: MR elastography images of the liver and brain were obtained and compared to dual energy X-ray (DXA) metabolic measurements.

Results: Significant correlations between obesity and stiffness changes in the thalamus and amygdala were identified. 

Impact: Preliminary results show that changes in liver and brain microstructure of the pediatric population can be seen in correlation to increased adiposity. MR elastography is a valuable tool in diagnosing those early changes.    

Keywords: Adolescents, MR Value, ADHD, Functional connectivity

Motivation: Although youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with a family history of bipolar I disorder (BD) are at increased risk for developing BD, associated neurofunctional mechanisms remain understood.

Goal(s): To investigate the differences in functional connectivity (FC) between ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and amygdala (AMY) among ADHD youth with (‘high-risk’, HR) and without (‘low-risk’, LR) a BD family history and healthy controls (HC).

Approach: gPPI analysis was conducted to assess the VLPFC-AMY FC in response to unpleasant emotional stimuli. 

Results: Both LR and HR exhibited lower right VLPFC-left AMY FC compared to HC, and HR had even lower FC compared with LR. 

Impact: ADHD in conjunction with BD family history showed blunted emotion-generated right VLPFC-left AMY FC compared with ADHD youth without a BD family history and healthy youth, and may therefore represent a central biomarker that is relevant to BD risk progression.

Keywords: Neuro, Metabolism

Motivation: It is unclear whether the lack of growth hormone (GH) is accompanied by altered GABA in human brain and relationship between the alterations and neuronal activity.

Goal(s): Thalamus is one of brain region that has highest concentration of GH receptors. The purpose of this study was to explore changes in GABA concentrations in thalamus and its association with neuronal activity in children with GHD.

Approach: We used MEGA-PRESS sequence to quantify the concentration of GABA+ in thalamus and rs-fMRI to assess neuronal activity.

Results: We found that the levels of thalamus GABA+ decreased significantly, and it was related to abnormal neuronal activity.

Impact: This study provides a new insight into the neural mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in children with GHD, and holds a promising biomarker for us to find a new treatment approach to GHD.

Keywords: Neonatal, Brain, Brain iron metabolism

Motivation: The motivation of this study was to investigate the changes in brain iron metabolism in neonates with hyperbilirubinemia (NHB).

Goal(s): The goal was to assess the diagnostic value of QSM in NHB and explore its brain iron metabolism.

Approach: Clinical trial

Results: Brain iron content can dynamically change with serum bilirubin level in NHB, and brain iron content was significantly higher than that of healthy neonates in the putamen.

Impact: The QSM value of the putamen can accurately diagnose NHB, and provide early warning of brain injury.

Keywords: Neuro, Brain, autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, cortical thickness, meta-analysis, surface-based morphometry

Motivation: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are neurodevelopmental disorders with overlapping behavioral features and genetic etiology. Exploring brain cortical thickness (CTh) could help understand the neurobiological basis which builds the bridge between clinical manifestations and genetic liability of the two disorders.

Goal(s): To demonstrate the common and distinct of CTh changes in ASD and ADHD.

Approach: Previous brain structural MRI studies analyzing CTh of ASD and ADHD were included and compared by vertex-based meta-analysis.

Results: The ASD showed disorder-specific increased thickness in parietal lobule, and ADHD-specific decreased CTh was in motor area. Both disorders shared thinner thickness in temporo-parietal junction.

Impact: The shared and different patterns of CTh alterations in ASD and ADHD provide objective evidence for transdiagnosis. The subtle differences in areas with distinct functions could partly explain the divergent behavioral features in the two disorders and elucidate disorder-specific etiologies.

Keywords: Neuro, Neurofluids

Motivation: Enlarged CSF volumes have been reported in children with congenital heart disease (CHD), and have been linked to neurodevelopmental outcome, but the origin of these enlarged CSF volumes is not yet known.

Goal(s): To examine the link between CSF flow, arteriovenous flow and CSF volumes in order to improve our understanding of the observed changes in CSF volume.

Approach: Phase contrast MRI of the cerebral aqueduct, carotid arteries and jugular veins was combined with 3D anatomical MRI for segmentation of the CSF spaces.

Results: CHD children show hyperdynamic CSF flow, which is linked to enlarged 3^rd ventricle volumes and venous flow.

Impact: An improved understanding of the link between heart defects and brain development and hydrodynamics may help to foster improved development and outcome for children with CHD in future.

Keywords: Neuro, Brain

Motivation: Currently, many studies have applied the DKI technique in adults, while fewer studies have applied this technique in children, especially in children with ADHD

Goal(s): Explore the feasibility of applying DKI technology to the brain of children with ADHD

Approach: 72 children with ADHD and 79 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in the study. All children were examined by means of 3D-T1weighted image , DKI and conventional sequence scanning

Results: DKI showed abnormal gray matter and white matter development in some brain regions of children with ADHD.

Impact: DKI imaging showed abnormal gray matter and white matter in frontal lobe, temporal lobe, Caudate nucleus and other brain regions of ADHD children. The brain volume of ADHD is lower than that of healthy children.

Keywords: Neuro, Preclinical

Motivation: According to the clinical findings, the survivors of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) may suffer from long-term neurodevelopmental impairment. However, how the local intestine inflammation impacts brain function needs further investigation.

Goal(s): To probe the long-term alteration in the brain network induced by NEC in early life.

Approach: After employing a neonatal rat model of NEC with lipopolysaccharide at postnatal 7 days, we measured the functional connectivity in the brain in its adolescent age (about P40).

Results: Neurodevelopmental impairment induced by mild early-life NEC was reflected by rsfMRI in adolescent rats.

Impact: We provide evidence showing that preterm NEC may induce the subsequent alteration in the functional brain network. Our results indicate the association between the early-life local intestine inflammation and long-term neurodevelopmental impairment, suggesting the interaction of the gut-brain axis.

Keywords: Rare Disease, Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Motivation: Type II GM1 gangliosidosis is a rare disease that lacks reliable quantitative biomarkers to assess neuronal health.

Goal(s): We sought to quantify diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters of different brain regions known to be affected in GM1 to track neuronal changes especially with the advent of gene therapy in treating GM1.

Approach: We quantified fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity changes at different timepoints using DTI-MRI to evaluate myelination changes in GM1 patients treated with gene therapy and compared them to untreated patients and healthy controls. 

Results: DTI can be used to demonstrate efficacy of gene therapy in monitoring disease progression/regression in GM1 patients.

Impact: This study addressed the need for reliable biomarkers in assessing neuronal health in type II GM1 gangliosidosis. Using DTI parameters, we demonstrated the efficacy of gene therapy in reliably monitoring myelination changes in GM1 patients.

Keywords: Cancer, Metabolism, Molecular Imaging, Preclinical, Ewing sarcoma, pediatric cancer

Motivation: Chemo resistance in Ewing sarcoma (EWS) poses a significant hurdle, especially considering the unclear role of the SLFN11 gene. Uninvestigated metabolic dependencies call for an in-depth exploration to improve treatment effectiveness. 

Goal(s): This research endeavors to connect metabolic changes in EWS with SLFN11 expression, aiming to identify diagnostic markers that could provide mechanistic insights into therapy design.

Approach: Our study integrates metabolomics, transcriptomics, in-vitro nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and preclinical magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) to examine how SLFN11 influences chemoresistance in EWS, ultimately paving  way for metabolism-driven treatments.

Results: We found significantly increased glutamine uptake in SLFN-/- EWS cells compared to WT.

Impact: Using 1H-MRS, we show that SLFN11 loss increases EWS reliance on glutamine, is different  than conventional glutamine metabolism typically observed in other cancers.

Keywords: Neonatal, Neuroscience

Motivation: Maternal nutrient intake is important for fetal growth and development. 

Goal(s): This study examined associations between maternal diet quality during pregnancy and neonatal brain white matter development.

Approach: Forty-four healthy pregnant woman/newborn dyads were included in the study. The mothers had nutrition intake assessed by Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) throughout pregnancy. Correlations between neonatal MRI diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-measured fractional anisotropy (FA) and HEI-2015 scores were evaluated.

Results: Significant correlations between maternal sodium intake at 1^st trimester of pregnancy and neonatal white matter FA values were found, indicating potential influence of maternal sodium intake during early pregnancy on neonatal brain white matter development. 

Impact: We found significant correlations between maternal sodium intake at first trimester of pregnancy and neonatal DTI-measured FA values, indicating sodium intake better aligned with the Dietary Guidelines of Americans during early pregnancy is associated with better neonatal white matter development.

Keywords: Normal Development, Pediatric, Diagnosis; Precocious puberty.

Motivation: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test is time- and labor- consuming. A prediction model composed of MRI-derived variables for precocious puberty is useful for diagnosis.

Goal(s): This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of adenohypophyseal MRI features for precocious puberty in girls.

Approach: Pearson correlation and stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis were used to examine the best association of MRI features and clinical data for 126 girls and build prediction models.

Results: Two Models were built to predict LH and LH/FSH. ROC analysis showed the predicted LH, predicted LH/FSH, and aPV were the top 3 best predictors in distinguishing CPP group from controls.

Impact: The adenohypophysis volume itself and the prediction models including main adenohypophyseal MRI features increased diagnosis efficiency for PP and offered a non-invasive and credible diagnostic method.

Keywords: Neonatal, Brain

Motivation: Few research has reported the differences of the T1, T2* and proton density (PD) values of multi-parametric magnetic resonance (MR) between healthy preterm and term neonates.

Goal(s): To evaluate T1, T2* and PD mapping of preterm and term neonate in the deep gray matter.

Approach: We performed MRI on a 3.0T MR scanner (Omega, United Imaging Health Care) using multi-parametric MR imaging with flexible design (MULTIPLEX) transverse axis sequence.

Results: T1 relaxation time showed significant differences in bilateral putamen (PT) and pallidus (GP) between preterm and term newborns and was negative correlated with gestational age (GA).

Impact: Our study demonstrated that the T1 relaxation time in deep gray matter nuclei decreased with GA, and the preterm showed higher T1 relaxation values than the term neonate in PT and GP at term equivalent age.

Keywords: Adolescents, Endocrine

Motivation: The role of age in hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis) reactivation on brain changes in girls remains unclear.

Goal(s): The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of HPG axis reactivation on the brains of girls of different ages through a multimodal perspective.

Approach: We used linked independent component analysis to decompose the girls' multimodal brain images and combined clinical hormones and age.

Results: We captured a multimodal component strongly associated with HPG reactivation, which includes structural and functional changes, mainly related to peak LH levels. Also, the degree of change in this multimodal component increased with age.

Impact: Our study may provide a new idea for subsequent brain studies concerning the reactivation of the HPG axis and a new direction for further exploration of the physiological mechanisms associated with pubertal brain development.

Keywords: Prenatal, Fetus, gyrification, fetal growth restriction

Motivation: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is highly associated with adverse outcomes. While reduced brain volume is associated with FGR, knowledge regarding cortical developmental is scarce.

Goal(s): We aimed to quantitatively assess differences in brain volumes and cortical folding patterns between FGR and appropriate-for gestational-age (AGA) fetuses, and between FGR with normal and abnormal pulsatile-index (PI) measured by Doppler-US in the middle-cerebral-artery (MCA).

Approach: Gyrification and brain volume were computed using an automatic method based on T₂-weighted MRI.

Results: Significant reduction of brain volume and gyrification were detected in FGR compared with AGA, and in gyrification in fetuses with abnormal MCA-PI.

Impact: Reduced gyrification in FGR fetuses can offer insights into the pathomechanism linking abnormal MCA-PI, cortical development, and postnatal outcomes. This may enable marker for assessing the severity of restriction and facilitate pregnancy management by determining the optimal time for delivery.