Directional flow of brain connections and neurodevelopmental outcomes in healthy full-term newborns

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

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

8-30-2025

Journal

Neuroscience letters

DOI

10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138371

Keywords

Directional flow; HD-EEG source analysis; Linearly constrained minimum variance beamformer; Neurodevelopmental outcome

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We examined whether directional flow among brain hubs in healthy-term infants is associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes at two years of age. METHODS: High-density electroencephalography (EEG) was collected within 72 h after birth. Neurodevelopmental outcomes (cognitive, language, and motor scores) were measured using Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III (BSID-III) at two years. Source signals were extracted from the hubs, and directed information flow from hub was calculated using partial directed coherence method in delta band. The relationship between information flow and BSID-III scores was assessed using stepwise regression. RESULTS: Forty-seven newborns had EEG and BSID-III scores. Efferent flow from the left amygdala (t-statistic = -2.97, p = 0.027), right amygdala (t-statistic = -2.15, p = 0.03), and right caudate nucleus (t-statistic = -2.16, p = 0.036) were negatively associated, while the left pallidum (t-statistic = 2.72, p = 0.02) was positively associated with cognitive scores. The efferent flow from the right amygdala (t-statistic = -2.34, p = 0.03) was negatively associated with language scores, while efferent flow from the brainstem (t-statistic = 2.38, p = 0.03) was positively associated with motor scores. CONCLUSIONS: Efferent output from specific hubs at birth is associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes at two years of age.

Department

Pediatrics

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