Preterm birth is closely associated with altered white matter microstructure and dysconnectivity of developing neural networks with increased risk of long-term neurodevelopmental impairment. Nutritional exposures in the weeks after preterm birth affect head growth, brain macro- and micro- structure, and are associated with neurocognitive ability; the mechanisms underlying these associations are uncertain. By combining nutritional data with myelin-weighted imaging, we show that early breast milk exposure after preterm birth is associated with improved white matter myelination at term-equivalent age.
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