Cerebral palsy (CP) is a condition that affects movement and coordination. Preterm birth, or being born too early, is a known risk factor for CP. One common type of brain injury seen in preterm babies is white-matter injury (WMI), which is a major cause of CP. Advanced imaging technology using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) have revealed that infections are linked to CP. The goal of the study is to find out whether:
- The timing and seriousness of infections affect brain development in preterm babies.
- Different kinds of infections cause changes in genes (epigenetic changes are studying gene-environment interactions) in premature infants.
- Specific epigenetic changes can influence neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months in preterm infants with infections.
As we continue following the group of children as they grow to school age, we can see how their epigenetic patterns might change because of how their genes interact with their environment, from birth to early childhood.