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. 2021 Feb 18;11(1):4085.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-83125-z.

Early protein intake predicts functional connectivity and neurocognition in preterm born children

Emma G Duerden  1   2 , Benjamin Thompson  3   4 , Tanya Poppe  5   6   7 , Jane Alsweiler  6 , Greg Gamble  5 , Yannan Jiang  5 , Myra Leung  5   6 , Anna C Tottman  5 , Trecia Wouldes  8 , Steven P Miller  9 , Jane E Harding  5 ; PIANO study group
Collaborators, Affiliations

Early protein intake predicts functional connectivity and neurocognition in preterm born children

Emma G Duerden et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Nutritional intake can promote early neonatal brain development in very preterm born neonates (< 32 weeks' gestation). In a group of 7-year-old very preterm born children followed since birth, we examined whether early nutrient intake in the first weeks of life would be associated with long-term brain function and neurocognitive skills at school age. Children underwent resting-state functional MRI (fMRI), intelligence testing (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 5th Ed) and visual-motor processing (Beery-Buktenica, 5th Ed) at 7 years. Relationships were assessed between neonatal macronutrient intakes, functional connectivity strength between thalamic and default mode networks (DMN), and neuro-cognitive function using multivariable regression. Greater functional connectivity strength between thalamic networks and DMN was associated with greater intake of protein in the first week (β = 0.17; 95% CI 0.11, 0.23, p < 0.001) but lower intakes of fat (β = - 0.06; 95% CI - 0.09, - 0.02, p = 0.001) and carbohydrates (β = - 0.03; 95% CI - 0.04, - 0.01, p = 0.003). Connectivity strength was also associated with protein intake during the first month (β = 0.22; 95% CI 0.06, 0.37, p = 0.006). Importantly, greater thalamic-DMN connectivity strength was associated with higher processing speed indices (β = 26.9; 95% CI 4.21, 49.49, p = 0.02) and visual processing scores (β = 9.03; 95% CI 2.27, 15.79, p = 0.009). Optimizing early protein intake may contribute to promoting long-term brain health in preterm-born children.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Resting state networks overlaid on a template MRI in the space of the Montreal Neurological Institute.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relationship between functional connectivity strength in the thalamic and aDM resting state networks at 7 years (y-axis) and protein intake in the first week after birth (x-axis).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Relationship between functional connectivity strength in the thalamic and aDM resting state networks (x-axis) and processing speed index (y-axis) at 7 years.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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