Fetale Magnetoenzephalographie (fMEG)
Final Report Abstract
Fetal Magnetoencephalography(fMEG) is based on the use of low temperature superconducting squid devices for non-invasive recording biomagnetic fields from the human fetus in utero. Based on our experience with the first fMEG devise dedicated to fetal and newborn investigations - also called SARA systems (SQUID Array for Reproductive Assessment) - we improved the design of the system and its patient support. This resulted in a 156 primary channel system with the channels distributed over the whole maternal abdomen. A new patient support system was designed allowing extended and comfortable recordings of pregnant mothers. The system was successful installed in the newly build fMEG building and afMEG center was founded as a central research facility. Prior research using fMEG already showed that fetuses in the last trimester of pregnancy are able to react to light and tone stimuli and detect differences between tone frequencies. And it was also noticed that the fetus shows specific behavioral states similar to preterm Infants and even signs of wakefulness. These behavioral states can be classified of fetal cardiac signals including heart rate variability and estimators for fetal movements. We implemented a reliable estimator for fetal state detection and were able to show that fetal brain responses depend on the behavioral state. In general we were able to show that fetuses show decreased latency to auditory stimulation during wakefullness. For the implementation of a clinical research programs related to fMEG it is also necessary to evaluate circadian changes of the fetus. In an initial study we showed that fetuses show no significant differences over the day, which makes it reasonable to combine measurements over the day time. The development of cognitive abilities of fetuses were investigated by several studies. Habituation as a basic forni of learning was observed for fetuses and neonates by an advanced habituation paradigm which allowed to exclude sensory fatique as a major contributor to habituation. With an adapted auditory mismatch paradigm we investigated the basic processing of numerosity in fetuses. The results show the existence of a discriminative brain response to differing numbers of tone bursts in adults, neonates and most importantly in fetuses with a gestational age of 30 weeks and above. An additional focus regarding clinical applications were related to an extensive evaluation of fetal heart signal changes by pharmaceutical interventions, initial studies regarding metabolic influences on fetal brain activity and effect of adverse maternal conditions on fetal brain development. Overall we implemented an active and successful research program related to fMEG by a strong collaboration between psychology, obstetrics, neonatology and neurology in the newly established TübingerfMEG Center.
Publications
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Is there a relationship between fetal brain function and the fetal behavioral state? A fetal MEG-study. Journal of perinatal medicine. 2013;41(5):605-12. Epub 2013/04/25
Kiefer-Schmidt I, Raufer J, Brandle J, Munssinger J, Abele H, Wallwiener D, et al.
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Verification of fetal brain responses by coregistration of fetal ultrasound and fetal magnetoencephalography data. Neuroimage. 2010;49(2):1469-78. Epub 2009/09/26
Micheli C, McCubbin J, Murphy P, Eswaran H, Lowery CL, Ortiz E, et al.
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Wie reagiert das fetale Gehirn auf Reize? Untersuchungen mit fetaler Magnetoencephalographie. In: Brisch KH, Hellbrügge T, editors. Der Säugling - Bindung, Neurobiologie und Gene: Grundlagen für Prävention, Beratung und Therapie. Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta; 2010
Sheridan C, PreissI H, Birbaumer N
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Botschaften vom werdenden Leben. Gehirn und GeisL 2011(12):6
PreissI H, Schleger F, Münssinger J
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Fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG): moving fonward in the establishment of clinical reference data by advanced biomagnetic instrumentation and analysis. Journal of perinatal medicine. 2012;40(3):277-86. Epub 2012/04/17
iefer-Schmidt I, Lim M, Wacker-Gussmann A, Ortiz E, Abele H, Kagan KO, et al.
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Auditory habituation in the fetus and neonate: an fMEG study. Developmental science. 2013;16(2):287-95. Epub 2013/02/26
Muenssinger J, Matuz T, Schleger F, Kiefer-Schmidt I, Goelz R, Wacker-Gussmann A et al.
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Fetal suppression burst pattern in Ohtahara syndrome visualized by fetal magnetoencephalography. International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics. 2013;120(1):96-8. Epub 2012/10/16.
Wacker-Gussmann A, Alber M, Abele H, Goelz R, Draganova R
