Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
Hum Brain Mapp. 2023 Oct 15;44(15):5125-5138. doi: 10.1002/hbm.26451. Epub 2023 Aug 22.
While animal models indicate altered brain dopaminergic neurotransmission after premature birth, corresponding evidence in humans is scarce due to missing molecular imaging studies. To overcome this limitation, we studied dopaminergic neurotransmission changes in human prematurity indirectly by evaluating the spatial co-localization of regional alterations in blood oxygenation fluctuations with the distribution of adult dopaminergic neurotransmission. The study cohort comprised 99 very premature-born (<32 weeks of gestation and/or birth weight below 1500 g) and 107 full-term born young adults, being assessed by resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and IQ testing. Normative molecular imaging dopamine neurotransmission maps were derived from independent healthy control groups. We computed the co-localization of local (rs-fMRI) activity alterations in premature-born adults with respect to term-born individuals to different measures of dopaminergic neurotransmission. We performed selectivity analyses regarding other neuromodulatory systems and MRI measures. In addition, we tested if the strength of the co-localization is related to perinatal measures and IQ. We found selectively altered co-localization of rs-fMRI activity in the premature-born cohort with dopamine-2/3-receptor availability in premature-born adults. Alterations were specific for the dopaminergic system but not for the used MRI measure. The strength of the co-localization was negatively correlated with IQ. In line with animal studies, our findings support the notion of altered dopaminergic neurotransmission in prematurity which is associated with cognitive performance.
虽然动物模型表明早产儿的大脑多巴胺能神经传递发生改变，但由于缺乏分子成像研究，人类相应的证据很少。为了克服这一局限性，我们通过评估血氧波动的区域变化与成人多巴胺能神经传递分布的空间共定位，间接地研究了人类早产儿的多巴胺能神经传递变化。该研究队列包括 99 名非常早产儿（<32 周妊娠和/或出生体重低于 1500 克）和 107 名足月出生的年轻成年人，通过静息态功能磁共振成像（rs-fMRI）和智商测试进行评估。正常的分子成像多巴胺能神经传递图谱是从独立的健康对照组中得出的。我们计算了早产儿与足月出生个体之间的局部（rs-fMRI）活动变化与不同多巴胺能神经传递测量值的共定位。我们针对其他神经调节系统和 MRI 测量值进行了选择性分析。此外，我们还测试了共定位的强度是否与围产期测量值和智商有关。我们发现，早产儿队列的 rs-fMRI 活动选择性改变与早产儿的多巴胺 D2/3 受体可用性共定位。改变是多巴胺能系统特异性的，但不是 MRI 测量特异性的。共定位的强度与智商呈负相关。与动物研究一致，我们的研究结果支持早产儿多巴胺能神经传递改变的观点，这种改变与认知表现有关。
