Influence of intrauterine growth restriction on brain development and consequences for later neurological development: a prospective cohort study (BrainDNIU)
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) describes the case where a fetus does not reach its biological growth potential. The fetus and the newborn have an increased risk of undesirable consequences. These range from perinatal death to neurodevelopmental disorders and non-communicable diseases later in life, making IUGR a major public health problem. Despite major research efforts to investigate the underlying mechanisms, there is still a lack of knowledge about the individual neurological developmental consequences and treatment strategies for affected fetuses.
The BrainDNIU study is a longitudinal cohort study that compares the neurological development of infants with IUGR with the neurological development of infants with normal intrauterine growth. The main research questions of the project relate to the timing and mechanisms of abnormal brain development under IUGR conditions and the factors that influence these dynamics.
To answer these questions, participants are examined from before birth to 6 years of age using a multi-method approach that includes serial structural and functional measurements such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), near-infrared spectroscopy, neurological and psychological developmental assessments. With this project, the NGN Research Center aims to contribute to the research field of IUGR and its long-term consequences for neurological development.
The study is funded by the SNSF (Ambizione 2016-2020; project funding 2021-2025).
