Brain Development and Nutrition in Preterm Infants
A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Nutrition".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 51
Special Issue Editor
2. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Maternal and Neonatal Health, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Pediatric Hospital, 16147 Genoa, Italy
Interests: brain lesions; premature; neuroimaging; neurodevelopment; white matter; glycemic control; perinatal asphyxia; neonatal encephalopathy; cerebral venous thrombosis; omics; IgF1
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Brain development represents a fascinating area of research, especially in premature infants. The success of intrauterine development is challenged by extrauterine circumstances. The word “nutrition” is used to refer to the quality of diets, medically and more widely in daily life. A mother’s eating habits and food quality during pregnancy produce substances that are passed to the fetus via the umbilical cord. Investigations into the mechanisms behind this are difficult, although omics sciences are starting to offer some insights. Nutrition outside of the uterus is challenged by the quality of parenteral and enteral nutrition, as well as other factors, such as inevitable oxidative stress and clinical complications promoting long-lasting inflammatory states (i.e., bronchopulmonary dysplasia). It is important to identify and prioritize the crucial steps in brain development in premature infants exposed to a range of insults during intrauterine and extrauterine life at different gestational ages. The development of the cerebral white matter of premature infants during prenatal life, under intrauterine growth retardation and/or obesity (OWO), and with chorioamnionitis further influences the developing brain. These conditions are especially important when the fetus is later exposed to premature birth. We invite the submission of high-quality studies by experts across diverse fields, including, but not limited to, basic scientists, neuro-clinicians involved in follow-up, nutritional experts, and MRI researchers.
Prof. Dr. Luca A. Ramenghi
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- neurodevelopmental outcome
- brain development
- developing white matter
- brain MRI
- nutrition
- omics
- lipids
- gestational age
- oxidative stress
- IUGR
- obesity in pregnancy
- chorioamnionitis
- prematurity
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