@article{WU2026, 
author = {Yun WU and Xiao-Yun ZHU and Fan-Zhe MENG and He-Rong GAO and Jia-Yan CAO and Hong YANG and Dan-Dan LUO and Zhi-Ping JIN and Hao ZHOU and Jun WANG},
title = {Early resting-state functional connectivity characteristics in preterm and full-term infants: an exploratory study using functional near-infrared spectroscopy},
year = {2026},
journal = {Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics},
volume = {28},
number = {9},
pages = {1052-1059},
keywords = {Functional near-infrared spectroscopy, Brain functional connectivity, Exploratory study, Preterm infant, Full-term infant},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2601078},
doi = {10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2601078},
abstract = {ObjectiveTo compare resting-state brain functional connectivity among neonates of different gestational ages using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).MethodsForty hospitalized neonates were enrolled and categorized by gestational age into very preterm (n=10), moderate-to-late preterm (n=10), and full-term (n=20) groups. At a corrected gestational age of (40 ± 4) weeks, resting-state whole-brain oxygenation signals were acquired with fNIRS. The frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes were defined as regions of interest (ROI). Functional connectivity strength was calculated, and between-group comparisons were performed at both the whole-brain and ROI levels.ResultsAt the whole-brain level, the mean functional connectivity strength in preterm infants was significantly lower than that in full-term infants (0.55 ± 0.20 vs 0.68 ± 0.16, P=0.030). Subgroup analysis showed the lowest connectivity strength in the very preterm group (0.46 ± 0.19), significantly lower than in the moderate-to-late preterm group (0.64 ± 0.19, P=0.030) and the full-term group (0.68 ± 0.16, P<0.01). At the ROI level, the very preterm group exhibited significantly reduced connectivity relative to the full-term group across multiple key connections, including left frontal-right frontal, left temporal-right frontal, bilateral frontal-bilateral parietal (both ipsilateral and contralateral), and left parietal-right parietal connections (all P<0.05).ConclusionsPreterm birth exerts a gestational age-dependent gradient effect on resting-state brain functional connectivity, with smaller gestational age associated with more pronounced reductions. Very preterm neonates show widespread decreases in connectivity at the whole-brain level and between key cortical regions.}
}