Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41986668›Full record

ArticleJournal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association2026

Associations between neonatal brain structure and neurodevelopmental outcomes following very preterm birth.

Zeyuan Sun, Yan Ge, Marguerite Leoni, Andrew T M Chew, Andrew J Lawrence, Serena J Counsell, Joseph V Hajnal, A David Edwards, Paola Dazzan, Dafnis Batalle and 1 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Zeyuan SunDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom. zeyuan.sun@kcl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2309-8149
Yan GeResearch Department of Early Life Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-2699-0493
Marguerite LeoniDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1078-0533
Andrew T M ChewResearch Department of Early Life Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Andrew J LawrenceDepartment of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Serena J CounsellResearch Department of Early Life Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Joseph V HajnalResearch Department of Early Life Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
A David EdwardsResearch Department of Early Life Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4801-7066
Paola DazzanDepartment of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Dafnis BatalleResearch Department of Early Life Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2097-979X
Chiara NosartiDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6305-9710

Funding

Action Medical Research (AMR) GN2606DH | NIHR | Programme Grants for Applied Research (NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research) RP-PG-0707-10154RCUK | Medical Research Council (MRC) MR/K006355/1RCUK | Medical Research Council (MRC) MR/S026460/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVery preterm (VPT) infants face an elevated risk of neurodevelopmental delays, yet early predictors of specific impairments are poorly understood. This study investigated how neonatal brain structure relates to neurodevelopmental delays in VPT toddlers.

methodsWe analysed term-equivalent T2-weighted MRI scans from 352 VPT infants. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed at 18-24 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III. We used tensor-based morphometry to compare voxel-wise whole-brain volumes between infants with and without developmental delay.

resultsToddlers with motor delays showed significantly reduced volume in the left posterior cerebellum at term compared to those without motor delays, even after adjusting for other domains. No significant volumetric differences were observed for cognitive or language delays.

conclusionReduced cerebellar volume at term is associated with motor delay in VPT toddlers. These findings highlight the cerebellum's key role in early motor development and the value of structural MRI for early risk stratification.

Indexed as

BrainCerebellumDevelopmental DisabilitiesInfant, Extremely PrematureChild DevelopmentChild, PreschoolFemaleGestational AgeHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleNeurodevelopment

Identifiers

PMID41986668
PMCPMC13423810

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.