Neurodevelopmental trajectories and neural correlates of HIE- NENAH
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Neurodevelopmental trajectories and neural correlates in children with Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy (HIE)- NENAH
IRAS ID
263965
Contact name
Brigitte Vollmer
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 28 days
Research summary
Neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) is caused by poor oxygen delivery to the brain around the time of birth (perinatal asphyxia). Worldwide, perinatal asphyxia causes 23% of all newborn deaths; in the UK there were 835 newborns with HIE in 2015. It carries a high risk for brain injury and neurodevelopmental impairment in surviving infants. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH), or “cooling”, reduces death and neurodisability, and is now standard treatment. Nevertheless, about 14% develop Cerebral Palsy (CP), and up to 60% of those without CP have neurodevelopmental problems. For this group little is known on academic progress, social functioning, and quality of life. Also, knowledge is missing about long term brain development after HIE and how this relates to school age outcomes. Furthermore, information is lacking about how routine assessments of brain injury with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the newborn period and neurodevelopmental assessments in infancy can predict school age outcomes. We have followed up a large cohort of infants with neonatal HIE who underwent MRI to identify brain injury when they were newborns. We will invite the children who have survived without severe CP when they are 6-8 years old, and compare their cognitive/behavioural function, school progress, and MRI brain scans to typically developing children of similar age, sex, socio-economic background. We will also explore whether the newborn MRI and routine assessments at age 12 and 24 months relate to outcome and MRI findings at school age.
This research will provide much needed knowledge on brain development and real world outcomes for the large group of children with neonatal HIE and TH who do not develop severe CP. It will provide information for support at school and in everyday life, and will improve early counselling and timely identification of those who will benefit from early intervention.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/NW/0478
Date of REC Opinion
18 Oct 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion