Quantitative EEG features for the prediction of short-term neuromotor development outcome in premature neonates

Abstract The objective of this study was to identify relevant quantitative parameters to distinguish premature infants with presence of brain injury from conventional electroencephalography (EEG) and predict short-term neuromotor developmental outcomes. This is a prospective cohort study of newborns...

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Main Authors: Yuanyuan Shan, Lin Zhang, Peng Zhang, Yan Xu, Jun Wang, Mingshu Yang, Guoqiang Cheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10127-6
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author Yuanyuan Shan
Lin Zhang
Peng Zhang
Yan Xu
Jun Wang
Mingshu Yang
Guoqiang Cheng
author_facet Yuanyuan Shan
Lin Zhang
Peng Zhang
Yan Xu
Jun Wang
Mingshu Yang
Guoqiang Cheng
author_sort Yuanyuan Shan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The objective of this study was to identify relevant quantitative parameters to distinguish premature infants with presence of brain injury from conventional electroencephalography (EEG) and predict short-term neuromotor developmental outcomes. This is a prospective cohort study of newborns at 34 weeks’ gestation or earlier. Multichannel EEG recordings were performed within 24 h after birth. The total power (TP), absolute and relative band power (ABP and RBP), alpha/theta ratio (ATR), alpha/delta + theta ratio (ADTR), 95% spectral edge frequency (SEF), approximate entropy (ApEn), coherence and brain symmetry index (BSI) were calculated using the Auto-Neo-EEG signal processing system. Neonates were divided into two groups: with and without brain injury, and clinical outcomes of general movements (GMs) assessment at three months were available for analysis. This study comprised 43 and 65 premature neonates with and without brain injury, respectively. Premature neonates with brain injury had significantly lower TP, ABP-δ, ABP-α, RBP-δ and coherence than those without brain injury (all p values < 0.05). The area under curve (AUC) of TP, ABP-δ, ABP-α, RBP-δ and coherence for predicting brain injury was 0.749, 0.830, 0.721, 0.799 and 0.743, respectively. Preterm infants with brain injury had significantly lower GMs optimality scores (15.6 ± 6.7) than those without brain injury (28.4 ± 8.3) (P = 0.019). For 43 preterm infants with brain injury, TP (P = 0.023) and ABP-δ (P = 0.030) were positively correlated with GMs optimality scores; while coherence (P = 0.039) was the opposite. Compared with those without brain injury, preterm infants with brain injury tended to have reduced spectral power, accompanied by impaired brain network connectivity, and delayed short-term motor development. Automated quantitative EEG (qEEG) analysis provides predictive value for the occurrence of brain injury and outcomes in preterm neonates, among which ABP-δ presented the best predictive performance.
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spelling doaj-art-e03414985ba546d0880ffe931c671cf92025-08-20T04:02:56ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-10127-6Quantitative EEG features for the prediction of short-term neuromotor development outcome in premature neonatesYuanyuan Shan0Lin Zhang1Peng Zhang2Yan Xu3Jun Wang4Mingshu Yang5Guoqiang Cheng6Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan UniversityDepartment of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University Xiamen BranchDepartment of Neonatology, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan UniversityDepartment of Neurology, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan UniversityDepartment of Rehabilitation, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan UniversityDepartment of Radiology, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan UniversityDepartment of Neonatology, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan UniversityAbstract The objective of this study was to identify relevant quantitative parameters to distinguish premature infants with presence of brain injury from conventional electroencephalography (EEG) and predict short-term neuromotor developmental outcomes. This is a prospective cohort study of newborns at 34 weeks’ gestation or earlier. Multichannel EEG recordings were performed within 24 h after birth. The total power (TP), absolute and relative band power (ABP and RBP), alpha/theta ratio (ATR), alpha/delta + theta ratio (ADTR), 95% spectral edge frequency (SEF), approximate entropy (ApEn), coherence and brain symmetry index (BSI) were calculated using the Auto-Neo-EEG signal processing system. Neonates were divided into two groups: with and without brain injury, and clinical outcomes of general movements (GMs) assessment at three months were available for analysis. This study comprised 43 and 65 premature neonates with and without brain injury, respectively. Premature neonates with brain injury had significantly lower TP, ABP-δ, ABP-α, RBP-δ and coherence than those without brain injury (all p values < 0.05). The area under curve (AUC) of TP, ABP-δ, ABP-α, RBP-δ and coherence for predicting brain injury was 0.749, 0.830, 0.721, 0.799 and 0.743, respectively. Preterm infants with brain injury had significantly lower GMs optimality scores (15.6 ± 6.7) than those without brain injury (28.4 ± 8.3) (P = 0.019). For 43 preterm infants with brain injury, TP (P = 0.023) and ABP-δ (P = 0.030) were positively correlated with GMs optimality scores; while coherence (P = 0.039) was the opposite. Compared with those without brain injury, preterm infants with brain injury tended to have reduced spectral power, accompanied by impaired brain network connectivity, and delayed short-term motor development. Automated quantitative EEG (qEEG) analysis provides predictive value for the occurrence of brain injury and outcomes in preterm neonates, among which ABP-δ presented the best predictive performance.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10127-6Quantitative electroencephalographyNeonateBrain injuryGeneral movements
spellingShingle Yuanyuan Shan
Lin Zhang
Peng Zhang
Yan Xu
Jun Wang
Mingshu Yang
Guoqiang Cheng
Quantitative EEG features for the prediction of short-term neuromotor development outcome in premature neonates
Scientific Reports
Quantitative electroencephalography
Neonate
Brain injury
General movements
title Quantitative EEG features for the prediction of short-term neuromotor development outcome in premature neonates
title_full Quantitative EEG features for the prediction of short-term neuromotor development outcome in premature neonates
title_fullStr Quantitative EEG features for the prediction of short-term neuromotor development outcome in premature neonates
title_full_unstemmed Quantitative EEG features for the prediction of short-term neuromotor development outcome in premature neonates
title_short Quantitative EEG features for the prediction of short-term neuromotor development outcome in premature neonates
title_sort quantitative eeg features for the prediction of short term neuromotor development outcome in premature neonates
topic Quantitative electroencephalography
Neonate
Brain injury
General movements
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10127-6
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