Prenatal alcohol exposure leads to alterations in cognition, behavior and underlying brain architecture. However, prior studies have not integrated structural and functional imaging data in children with prenatal alcohol exposure. The aim of this study was to characterize disruptions in both structural and functional brain network organization after prenatal alcohol exposure in very early life. A group of 11 neonates with prenatal alcohol exposure and 14 unexposed controls were investigated using diffusion weighted structural and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Covariance networks were created using graph theoretical analyses for each data set, controlling for age and sex. Group differences in global hub arrangement and regional connectivity were determined using nonparametric permutation tests. Neonates with prenatal alcohol exposure and controls exhibited similar global structural network organization. However, global functional networks of neonates with prenatal alcohol exposure comprised of temporal and limbic hubs, while hubs were more distributed in controls representing an early default mode network. On a regional level, controls showed prominent structural and functional connectivity in parietal and occipital regions. Neonates with prenatal alcohol exposure showed regionally, predominant structural and functional connectivity in several subcortical regions and occipital regions. The findings suggest early functional disruption on a global and regional level after prenatal alcohol exposure and indicate suboptimal organization of functional networks. These differences likely underlie sensory dysregulation and behavioral difficulties in prenatal alcohol exposure.

中文翻译：

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产前酒精暴露的新生儿的结构和功能性大脑网络改变。

产前酒精暴露会导致认知，行为和基础大脑结构的改变。但是，先前的研究尚未整合产前酒精暴露儿童的结构和功能成像数据。这项研究的目的是描述在生命早期就暴露于产前酒精后大脑结构和功能的网络组织破坏的特征。使用扩散加权结构和静止状态功能磁共振成像技术研究了一组11名新生儿的产前酒精暴露和14名未暴露的对照组。使用图论分析为每个数据集创建协方差网络，并控制年龄和性别。使用非参数排列检验确定了全球枢纽安排和区域连通性方面的群体差异。具有产前酒精暴露和控制的新生儿表现出相似的全球结构网络组织。但是，新生儿的全球功能网络包括产前和边缘的枢纽，而枢纽则更多地分布在代表早期默认模式网络的控件中。在区域一级，对照在顶叶和枕叶区域显示出突出的结构和功能连通性。暴露于产前酒精的新生儿在几个皮层下区域和枕骨区域显示出区域性，主要的结构和功能连接性。研究结果表明，产前酒精暴露后，在全球和区域范围内早期功能中断，表明功能网络组织欠佳。