# Directional flow of brain connections and neurodevelopmental outcomes in healthy full-term newborns

## TL;DR

This study shows that the direction of brain connections in newborns is linked to their cognitive, language, and motor development at two years old.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific brain hubs and directional flow patterns in newborns that predict later neurodevelopmental outcomes.

## Key findings

- Efferent flow from the left amygdala, right amygdala, and right caudate nucleus was negatively associated with cognitive scores.
- Efferent flow from the left pallidum was positively associated with cognitive scores.
- Efferent flow from the brainstem was positively associated with motor scores.

## Abstract

We examined whether directional flow among brain hubs in healthy-term infants is associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes at two years of age.

High-density electroencephalography (EEG) was collected within 72 h after birth. Neurodevelopmental outcomes (cognitive, language, and motor scores) were measured using Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III (BSID-III) at two years. Source signals were extracted from the hubs, and directed information flow from hub was calculated using partial directed coherence method in delta band. The relationship between information flow and BSID-III scores was assessed using stepwise regression.

Forty-seven newborns had EEG and BSID-III scores. Efferent flow from the left amygdala (t-statistic = −2.97, p = 0.027), right amygdala (t-statistic = −2.15, p = 0.03), and right caudate nucleus (t-statistic = −2.16, p = 0.036) were negatively associated, while the left pallidum (t-statistic = 2.72, p = 0.02) was positively associated with cognitive scores. The efferent flow from the right amygdala (t-statistic = −2.34, p = 0.03) was negatively associated with language scores, while efferent flow from the brainstem (t-statistic = 2.38, p = 0.03) was positively associated with motor scores.

Efferent output from specific hubs at birth is associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes at two years of age.