Functional brain network properties of healthy full-term newborns quantified by scalp and source-reconstructed EEG

Venkata C. Chirumamilla, Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Laura Hitchings, Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Sarah B. Mulkey, Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Neurology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.
Tayyba Anwar, Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Neurology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Neurology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Robin Baker, Inova Women's and Children's Hospital, Fairfax, VA, USA; Fairfax Neonatal Associates, Fairfax, VA, USA.
G Larry Maxwell, Inova Women's and Children's Hospital, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Josepheen De Asis-Cruz, Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Kushal Kapse, Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Catherine Limperopoulos, Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA; Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Adre du Plessis, Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.
R B. Govindan, Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA. Electronic address: rgovinda@childrensnational.org.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-23-2023

Journal

Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology

Volume

147

DOI

10.1016/j.clinph.2023.01.005

Keywords

Coherence analysis; Graph theory; Linearly constrained minimum variance beamformer; Low-risk term newborns; Source analysis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Identifying the functional brain network properties of term low-risk newborns using high-density EEG (HD-EEG) and comparing these properties with those of established functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI) - based networks. METHODS: HD-EEG was collected from 113 low-risk term newborns before delivery hospital discharge and within 72 hours of birth. Functional brain networks were reconstructed using coherence at the scalp and source levels in delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands. These networks were characterized for the global and local network architecture. RESULTS: Source-level networks in all the frequency bands identified the presence of the efficient small world (small-world propensity (SWP) > 0.6) architecture with four distinct modules linked by hub regions and rich-club (coefficient > 1) topology. The modular regions included primary, association, limbic, paralimbic, and subcortical regions, which have been demonstrated in fMRI studies. In contrast, scalp-level networks did not display consistent small world architecture (SWP < 0.6), and also identified only 2-3 modules in each frequency band.The modular regions of the scalp-network primarily included frontal and occipital regions. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that EEG sources in low-risk newborns corroborate fMRI-based connectivity results. SIGNIFICANCE: EEG source analysis characterizes functional connectivity at the bedside of low-risk newborn infants soon after birth.

Department

Neurology

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