NCT03407729

Measuring Brain Activity of School Age Children

Structure & Function of Dopaminergic Brain Networks Following Postnatally-Occurring Hypoxic Insults

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 21 (actual)
• Sponsor: Case Western Reserve University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 8 Years – 15 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This observational study will investigate whether differences in birth events and oxygen levels during the newborn period affects the brain activity of children during the middle childhood years.

Detailed description

The investigators will conduct an observational study comparing two groups of children to determine whether differences in birth events and oxygen levels during the newborn period lead to structural and functional impairment within the brain's dopaminergic pathways and the cortical regions innervated by those pathways. The dopaminergic system is involved in modulating motor control and cognitive function. Using magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging, structural integrity of dopaminergic circuits will be quantified and compared in post-hypoxic former preterm children versus healthy control children born at term closely matched by age/sex/race. Functional activity during executive function tasks will be quantified and compared in post-hypoxic former preterm children versus healthy control children born at term using functional magnetic resonance imaging-blood oxygen level dependent (fMRI-BOLD). Assessment of motor function (grooved pegboard task) will also be performed.

Conditions

• Perinatal Hypoxia
• Dopamine
• Neurobehavioral Manifestations

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Magnetic Resonance Imaging	MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the brain while the person's head is positioned inside a round tunnel.
OTHER	Cognitive Performance Testing	For the Grooved Pegboard task: After the MRI scan, children will be timed as they place pegs into holes with randomly positioned slots.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-06-08
• Primary completion: 2020-02-17
• Completion: 2020-02-17
• First posted: 2018-01-23
• Last updated: 2022-10-10
• Results posted: 2022-10-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States