Brain scans of days-old premature babies could help researchers determine the best feeding style for brain development, lowering the babies’ risk of learning difficulties.
The world-first study will be led by Distinguished Professor Jane Harding at the University of Auckland-based Liggins Institute in collaboration with Professor Steve Miller from the renowned Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. It will run at Auckland City, North Shore, Waitakere and Middlemore hospitals.
Researchers will take MRI scans of preterm babies’ brains a few days after birth, and then again at their due date, to see how nutrition in the first days, while the babies are still learning how to breastfeed, affects brain growth and development.
Today, the researchers received $1.2 million in funding from the Health Research Council (HRC) to begin the study, which will involve 96 babies born at 32-36 weeks’ gestation.
Professor Harding: “We hope this study will allow us to identify ways of feeding these babies that will enhance their brain development. It’s exciting not only because this is the first time anyone has looked at the effect of nutrition on brain growth and development in moderate-to-late preterm babies, but also because it will help us develop new techniques in collaboration with world experts.”