Roche-Labarbe, NadegeFenoglio, Angela JoyceAggarwal, AlpnaDehaes, MathieuCarp, StefanFranceschini, MariaGrant, Patricia Ellen2012-12-112012Roche-Labarbe, Nadège, Angela Fenoglio, Alpna Aggarwal, Mathieu Dehaes, Stefan A. Carp, Maria Angela Franceschini, and Patricia Ellen Grant. 2012. Near-infrared spectroscopy assessment of cerebral oxygen metabolism in the developing premature brain. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism 32:481-488.0271-678Xhttp://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:10026708Little is known about cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood volume (CBV), oxygenation, and oxygen consumption in the premature newborn brain. We combined quantitative frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy measures of cerebral hemoglobin oxygenation \((SO_2\)) and CBV with diffusion correlation spectroscopy measures of cerebral blood flow index \((BF_{ix}\)) to determine the relationship between these measures, gestational age at birth (GA), and chronological age. We followed 56 neonates of various GA once a week during their hospital stay. We provide absolute values of \(SO_2\) and CBV, relative values of \(BF_{ix}\), and relative cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (\(rCMRO_2\)) as a function of postmenstrual age (PMA) and chronological age for four GA groups. \(SO_2\) correlates with chronological age (r=−0.54, P value \(\leq\)0.001) but not with PMA (r=−0.07), whereas \(BF_{ix}\) and \(rCMRO_2\) correlate better with PMA (r=0.37 and 0.43, respectively, P value \(\leq\)0.001). Relative \(CMRO_2\) during the first month of life is lower when GA is lower. Blood flow index and \(rCMRO_2\) are more accurate biomarkers of the brain development than \(SO_2\) in the premature newborns.en-USJournal Article2012-12-1110.1038/jcbfm.2011.145