Applications of Advanced Diffusion MRI in Early Brain Development: a Comprehensive Review

Overview

Journal Brain Struct Funct

Specialty Neurology

Date 2022 Dec 31

PMID 36585970

Authors

Marissa DiPiero

Patrik Goncalves Rodrigues

Alyssa Gromala

Douglas C Dean 3rd

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Brain development follows a protracted developmental timeline with foundational processes of neurodevelopment occurring from the third trimester of gestation into the first decade of life. Defining structural maturational patterns of early brain development is a critical step in detecting divergent developmental trajectories associated with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders that arise later in life. While considerable advancements have already been made in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) for pediatric research over the past three decades, the field of neurodevelopment is still in its infancy with remarkable scientific and clinical potential. This comprehensive review evaluates the application, findings, and limitations of advanced dMRI methods beyond diffusion tensor imaging, including diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD), neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) and composite hindered and restricted model of diffusion (CHARMED) to quantify the rapid and dynamic changes supporting the underlying microstructural architectural foundations of the brain in early life.

Citing Articles

Impact of COVID-19 School Closures on White Matter Plasticity in the Reading Network.

Blockmans L, Hoeft F, Wouters J, Ghesquiere P, Vandermosten M Neurobiol Lang (Camb). 2025; 6.

PMID: 39830071 PMC: 11740157. DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00158.

Neuroimaging Correlates of the NIH-Toolbox-Driven Cognitive Metrics in Children.

Acosta-Rodriguez H, Yuan C, Bobba P, Stephan A, Zeevi T, Malhotra A J Integr Neurosci. 2024; 23(12):217.

PMID: 39735971 PMC: 11851640. DOI: 10.31083/j.jin2312217.

Gray matter based spatial statistics framework in the 1-month brain: insights into gray matter microstructure in infancy.

DiPiero M, Rodrigues P, Justman M, Roche S, Bond E, Gonzalez J Brain Struct Funct. 2024; 229(9):2445-2459.

PMID: 39313671 PMC: 11611675. DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02853-w.

High-resolution diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and spatial-transcriptomic in developing mouse brain.

Han X, Maharjan S, Chen J, Zhao Y, Qi Y, White L Neuroimage. 2024; 297:120734.

PMID: 39032791 PMC: 11377129. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120734.

Associations between diffusion kurtosis imaging metrics and neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonates with low-grade germinal matrix and intraventricular hemorrhage.

Zhang C, Cheng M, Zhu Z, Wang K, Moon B, Shen S Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):16455.

PMID: 39014184 PMC: 11252380. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67517-5.

References

Kelly C, Christiaens D, Batalle D, Makropoulos A, Cordero-Grande L, Steinweg J . Abnormal Microstructural Development of the Cerebral Cortex in Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease Is Associated With Impaired Cerebral Oxygen Delivery. J Am Heart Assoc. 2019; 8(5):e009893. PMC: 6474935. DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.118.009893. View

Salvan P, Tournier J, Batalle D, Falconer S, Chew A, Kennea N . Language ability in preterm children is associated with arcuate fasciculi microstructure at term. Hum Brain Mapp. 2017; 38(8):3836-3847. PMC: 5518442. DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23632. View

Arab A, Wojna-Pelczar A, Khairnar A, Szabo N, Ruda-Kucerova J . Principles of diffusion kurtosis imaging and its role in early diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders. Brain Res Bull. 2018; 139:91-98. DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2018.01.015. View

Chen L, Wu Z, Hu D, Wang Y, Zhao F, Zhong T . A 4D infant brain volumetric atlas based on the UNC/UMN baby connectome project (BCP) cohort. Neuroimage. 2022; 253:119097. PMC: 9155180. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119097. View

Chang Y, Owen J, Pojman N, Thieu T, Bukshpun P, Wakahiro M . White Matter Changes of Neurite Density and Fiber Orientation Dispersion during Human Brain Maturation. PLoS One. 2015; 10(6):e0123656. PMC: 4482659. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123656. View

Alexander A, Lee J, Lazar M, Field A . Diffusion tensor imaging of the brain. Neurotherapeutics. 2007; 4(3):316-29. PMC: 2041910. DOI: 10.1016/j.nurt.2007.05.011. View

Reijmer Y, Leemans A, Heringa S, Wielaard I, Jeurissen B, Koek H . Improved sensitivity to cerebral white matter abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease with spherical deconvolution based tractography. PLoS One. 2012; 7(8):e44074. PMC: 3432077. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044074. View

Tournier J, Calamante F, Gadian D, Connelly A . Direct estimation of the fiber orientation density function from diffusion-weighted MRI data using spherical deconvolution. Neuroimage. 2004; 23(3):1176-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.07.037. View

Kelly C, Thompson D, Chen J, Josev E, Pascoe L, Spencer-Smith M . Working memory training and brain structure and function in extremely preterm or extremely low birth weight children. Hum Brain Mapp. 2019; 41(3):684-696. PMC: 6977425. DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24832. View

10.

Kansagra A, Mabray M, Ferriero D, Barkovich A, Xu D, Hess C . Microstructural maturation of white matter tracts in encephalopathic neonates. Clin Imaging. 2016; 40(5):1009-13. PMC: 5010966. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2016.05.009. View

11.

Dean 3rd D, Planalp E, Wooten W, Kecskemeti S, Adluru N, Schmidt C . Association of Prenatal Maternal Depression and Anxiety Symptoms With Infant White Matter Microstructure. JAMA Pediatr. 2018; 172(10):973-981. PMC: 6190835. DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.2132. View

12.

Ment L, Vohr B . Preterm birth and the developing brain. Lancet Neurol. 2008; 7(5):378-9. PMC: 2762422. DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(08)70073-5. View

13.

Raffelt D, Tournier J, Smith R, Vaughan D, Jackson G, Ridgway G . Investigating white matter fibre density and morphology using fixel-based analysis. Neuroimage. 2016; 144(Pt A):58-73. PMC: 5182031. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.09.029. View

14.

Lebel C, Deoni S . The development of brain white matter microstructure. Neuroimage. 2018; 182:207-218. PMC: 6030512. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.12.097. View

15.

Hare M, Dick A, Graziano P . Adverse childhood experiences predict neurite density differences in young children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Dev Psychobiol. 2022; 64(1):e22234. PMC: 8827844. DOI: 10.1002/dev.22234. View

16.

Barnea-Goraly N, Menon V, Eckert M, Tamm L, Bammer R, Karchemskiy A . White matter development during childhood and adolescence: a cross-sectional diffusion tensor imaging study. Cereb Cortex. 2005; 15(12):1848-54. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhi062. View

17.

Lebel C, Walker L, Leemans A, Phillips L, Beaulieu C . Microstructural maturation of the human brain from childhood to adulthood. Neuroimage. 2008; 40(3):1044-55. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.12.053. View

18.

Chinnadurai V, Sreedhar C, Khushu S . Assessment of cochlear nerve deficiency and its effect on normal maturation of auditory tract by diffusion kurtosis imaging and diffusion tensor imaging: A correlational approach. Magn Reson Imaging. 2016; 34(9):1305-1313. DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2016.07.010. View

19.

Courchesne E, Chisum H, Townsend J, Cowles A, Covington J, Egaas B . Normal brain development and aging: quantitative analysis at in vivo MR imaging in healthy volunteers. Radiology. 2000; 216(3):672-82. DOI: 10.1148/radiology.216.3.r00au37672. View

20.

Sato J, Vandewouw M, Bando N, Branson H, OConnor D, Unger S . White matter alterations and cognitive outcomes in children born very low birth weight. Neuroimage Clin. 2021; 32:102843. PMC: 8496319. DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102843. View