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Disrupted cerebellar development in preterm infants is associated with impaired neurodevelopmental outcome

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Abstract

The unfavorable impact of prematurity on the developing cerebellum was recently recognized, but the outcome after impaired cerebellar development as a prematurity-related complication is hitherto not adequately documented. Therefore we compared 31 preterm patients with disrupted cerebellar development to a control group of 31 gender and gestational age matched premature infants with normal cerebellar development. Supratentorial brain injuries during the neonatal period were comparable between the groups. At a minimum age of 24 months motor and mental development was assessed by standardized tests. Disrupted cerebellar development was associated with significantly poorer scores both in the subtests for neuromotor (p < 0.001) and mental development (p < 0.001), respectively. Mixed CP was diagnosed in 48% of affected patients, whereas none of the patients of the control group had mixed CP. Microcephaly and epilepsy were significantly related to disrupted cerebellar development. Preterm patients with disrupted cerebellar development exhibit poorer outcome results in all investigated variables. The role of the cerebellum in neurodevelopment after prematurity seems to be underestimated so far.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Pediatrics and Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Agnes Messerschmidt, Renate Fuiko & Robert Birnbacher

  2. Department of Neuroradiology, University Clinics of Radiodiagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Daniela Prayer

  3. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Peter C. Brugger

  4. Department of Neurology, University Children’s Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

    Eugen Boltshauser

  5. Kinderklinik der Stadt Wien, Glanzing im Wilhelminenspital, Vienna, Austria

    Gerlinde Zoder

  6. Pediatric Department of the Danube-Hospital/SMZO, Vienna, Austria

    Walter Sterniste

  7. Department of Radiology, University Clinics of Radiodiagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Michael Weber

  8. Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, University Children’s Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Agnes Messerschmidt

Authors
  1. Agnes Messerschmidt
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  2. Renate Fuiko
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  3. Daniela Prayer
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  4. Peter C. Brugger
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  5. Eugen Boltshauser
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  6. Gerlinde Zoder
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  7. Walter Sterniste
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  8. Michael Weber
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  9. Robert Birnbacher
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Correspondence to Agnes Messerschmidt.

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Messerschmidt, A., Fuiko, R., Prayer, D. et al. Disrupted cerebellar development in preterm infants is associated with impaired neurodevelopmental outcome. Eur J Pediatr 167, 1141–1147 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-007-0647-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-007-0647-0

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