Negative central activity in extremely preterm newborns: EEG characterization and relationship with brain injuries and neurodevelopmental outcome

Objective

To characterize Negative Central Activity (NCA), an overlooked electroencephalographic activity of preterm newborns and investigate its relationship with brain injuries, dysfunction, and neurodevelopmental outcome.

Methods

109 preterm infants (23–28 weeks) were retrospectively included. NCA were selected at the negative peak on EEG. Individual averaged NCA were automatically characterized. Brain structural data were collected from cranial ultrasounds (cUS). The neurodevelopmental outcome at two years of age was assessed by the Denver Developmental Screening Test-II.

Results

Thirty-six (33%) children showed NCA: 6,721 NCA were selected, a median of 75 (interquartile range, 25/157.3) per EEG. NCA showed a triphasic morphology, with a mean amplitude and duration of the negative component of 24.6–40.0 µV and 222.7–257.3 ms. The presence of NCA on EEG was associated with higher intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) grade on the first (P = 0.016) and worst neonatal cUS (P < 0.001) and poorer neurodevelopmental outcome (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

NCA is an abnormal EEG feature of extremely preterm newborns that may correspond to the functional neural impact of a vascular pathology.

Significance

The NCA relationships with an adverse outcome and the presence/severity of IVH argue for considering NCA in the assessment of pathological processes in the developing brain network and for early outcome prediction.