A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Aperiodic parameters of the fMRI power spectrum associate with preterm birth and neonatal age
Authors: Suuronen, Ilkka; Luotonen, Silja; Railo, Henry; Airola, Antti; Bano, Wajiha; Merisaari, Harri; Pulli, Elmo P.; Mariani Wigley, Isabella L. C.; Vartiainen, Elena; Hashempour, Niloofar; Karlsson, Hasse; Karlsson, Linnea; Kringelbach, Morten L.; Batalle, Dafnis; Tuulari, Jetro J.
Publisher: Springer Nature
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Communications Biology
Article number: 211
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
eISSN: 2399-3642
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-09488-5
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-09488-5
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/508918642
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY NC ND
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
Perinatal period is a critical time for brain development and premature-born children have an elevated likelihood for neurodevelopmental conditions. While strong associations of structural magnetic resonance imaging with preterm birth and post-menstrual age (PMA) have been reported, results with functional MRI (fMRI) have been considerably weaker. Using the task-free neonatal fMRI dataset from the Developing Human Connectome Project (dHCP), we first studied the associations of the aperiodic component of the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal power spectrum from pre- and postcentral gyri with preterm birth and mapped the associations with PMA, postnatal age, and sex, and found clear differences between preterm and full-term groups, as well as males and females. Second, we used machine learning regression to predict participants’ age from the aperiodic parameters of the BOLD signal from 90 cortical and subcortical regions of interest with relatively high accuracy (test R2’s 0.20–0.41).
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Funding information in the publication:
Authors have received funding from the following sources: Ilkka Suuronen, Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, Silja Luotonen, The Finnish Cultural Foundation/Varsinais-Suomi Regional Fund, Signe & Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, Elmo P. Pulli, Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Juho Vainio Foundation, Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, Finnish Brain Foundation, The Finnish Cultural Foundation, Strategic Research Council (SRC) established within the Research Council of Finland (#352648 and subproject #352655), Signe and Ane Gyllenberg foundation, Niloofar Hashempour, University of Turku Graduate School, Jetro J. Tuulari, Finnish Medical Foundation, Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, Hospital District of Southwest Finland State Research Grants, Harri Merisaari, Academy of Finland (#26080983), Henry Railo, Academy of Finland (#351109), Dafnis Batalle. D.B. acknowledges support from a Wellcome Trust Seed Award in Science [217316/Z/19/Z], and support in part from the Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment at King’s College London, and the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), or the Department of Health and Social Care. The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
