An allometric scaling relationship in the brain of preterm infants

Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2014 Nov;1(11):933-7. doi: 10.1002/acn3.130. Epub 2014 Oct 9.

Abstract

Allometry has been used to demonstrate a power-law scaling relationship in the brain of premature born infants. Forty-nine preterm infants underwent neonatal MRI scans and neurodevelopmental testing at age 2. Measures of cortical surface area and total cerebral volume demonstrated a power-law scaling relationship (α = 1.27). No associations were identified between these measures and investigated clinical variables. Term equivalent cortical surface area and total cerebral volume measures and scaling exponents were not related to outcome. These findings confirm a previously reported allometric scaling relationship in the preterm brain, and suggest that scaling is not a sensitive indicator of aberrant cortical maturation.