MRI Study Reveals Detailed Brain Growth Patterns During Perinatal Period
A recent neuroimaging study published in Scientific Reports has provided a comprehensive view of brain development during the perinatal period, which spans late pregnancy to the first weeks after birth. The study utilized continuous prenatal-to-postnatal MRI data to track brain growth, involving 798 MRI scans from 699 participants. The research highlighted that total brain volume increases steadily during this period, with the most rapid growth occurring in late pregnancy. White matter, crucial for communication between brain regions, grows rapidly in mid-gestation but constitutes a smaller proportion of the brain closer to birth. Conversely, gray matter growth accelerates in late pregnancy and early postnatal life, reflecting the development of sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. The study also noted early rapid growth in subcortical regions like the thalamus and basal ganglia, while the cerebellum expands significantly near birth. The hippocampus, associated with higher-order functions, grows more s... 
