Delays in premature infants identified by brain imaging protocol

According to a new study, premature infants are highly predisposed to behavioral, motor and cognitive defects. The severity of these defects was impossible to predict so far. Now the new brain imaging technology can do the job. A team of researchers developed a protocol and their work is published in PLOS ONE. According to Nehal A. Parikh, DO, principal investigator in the Center for Perinatal Research at Nationwide Children`s and senior author of the paper, the development of this methodology was needed for neuroprotective therapies` assessing. “Now that we have this protocol, we can improve the standard of care and evaluate efforts to promote brain health within 8 to 12 weeks of beginning the interventions. That way, we can quickly see what really works”, said Parikh. The technique is useful for adults but it behaves well in monitoring tiny brains of premature children as well.