Brain alterations in preterm infants may develop before birth

A collaborative team of researchers from Yale University (CT, USA), Wayne State University (MI, USA) and the National Institutes of Health has demonstrated that infants born preterm may display brain alterations in utero. The study, published recently in Scientific Reports, is the first of its kind, suggesting that factors contributing to premature birth might also impact the brain’s development in utero. According to the study, 10–11% of infants born in the USA are born preterm. Previous research has reported that neurological problems occur with a higher frequency in children born prematurely. In addition, research has indicated that these neurological impairments...