Effects of gestational age on brain volume and cognitive functions in generally healthy very preterm born children during school-age: A voxel-based morphometry study

Abstract Background Preterm infants are at risk for functional impairments in motor, cognitive, and behavioral development that may persist into childhood. The aim of this study was to determine the co-occurrence of cognitive impairments in multiple cognitive domains at school age in very preterm born children compared to term-born children. Methods Comparative study including 60 very preterm-born children (gestational age ≤ 32 weeks) and 120 term-born controls. At school age, we assessed intelligence with the WISC-III, and visuomotor integration with the NEPSY-II, verbal memory with the AVLT, attention with the TEA-ch, and executive functioning with the BRIEF. We investigated co-occurrence of various abnormal (<5th percentile) and suspect-abnormal (<15th percentile, including both suspect and abnormal) cognitive functions. Results At mean age 8.8 years, 15% of preterm children had abnormal outcomes in multiple cognitive functions (≥2), versus 3% of the controls (odds ratio, OR 4.65, 95%-confidence interval, CI 1.33–16.35). For multiple suspect-abnormal cognitive outcomes, rates were 55% versus 25% (OR 3.02, 95%-CI 1.49–6.12). We found no pattern of co-occurrence of cognitive impairments among preterm children that deviated from term-born controls. However, low performance IQ was more frequently accompanied by additional cognitive impairments in preterms than in controls (OR 5.43, 95%-CI 1.75–16.81). Conclusions A majority of preterm children showed co-occurrence of impairments in multiple cognitive domains, but with no specific pattern of impairments. The occurrence of multi-domain cognitive impairments is higher in preterms but this seems to reflect a general increase, not one with a pattern specific for preterm-born children.

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Maturation of Corpus Callosum Anterior Midbody Is Associated with Neonatal Motor Function in Eight Preterm-Born Infants

Neural Plasticity ◽

10.1155/2013/359532 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Preethi Mathew ◽

Kerstin Pannek ◽

Pamela Snow ◽

M. Giulia D'Acunto ◽

Andrea Guzzetta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Corpus Callosum ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Motor Function ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Motor Impairments ◽

Very Preterm Infants ◽

Very Preterm ◽

Preterm Born

Background. The etiology of motor impairments in preterm infants is multifactorial and incompletely understood. Whether corpus callosum development is related to impaired motor function is unclear. Potential associations between motor-related measures and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the corpus callosum in preterm infants were explored.Methods. Eight very preterm infants (gestational age of 28–32 weeks) underwent the Hammersmith neonatal neurological examination and DTI assessments at gestational age of 42 weeks. The total Hammersmith score and a motor-specific score (sum of Hammersmith motor subcategories) were calculated. Six corpus callosum regions of interest were defined on the mid-sagittal DTI slice—genu, rostral body, anterior midbody, posterior midbody, isthmus, and splenium. The fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) of these regions were computed, and correlations between these and Hammersmith measures were sought.Results. Anterior midbody FA measures correlated positively with total Hammersmith (rho=0.929,P=0.001) and motor-specific scores (rho=0.857,P=0.007). Total Hammersmith scores also negatively correlated with anterior midbody MD measures (rho=−0.714,P=0.047).Discussion. These results suggest the integrity of corpus callosum axons, particularly anterior midbody axons, is important in mediating neurological functions. Greater callosal maturation was associated with greater motor function. Corpus callosum DTI may prove to be a valuable screening or prognostic marker.

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Altered structural connectome and motor problems of very preterm born children at school-age

Early Human Development ◽

10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105274 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 152 ◽

pp. 105274

Author(s):

Jorrit F. de Kieviet ◽

Renee Lustenhouwer ◽

Marsh Königs ◽

Ruurd M. van Elburg ◽

Petra J.W. Pouwels ◽

...

Keyword(s):

School Age ◽

Very Preterm ◽

Structural Connectome ◽

Motor Problems ◽

Preterm Born

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An Influence of Birth Weight, Gestational Age, and Apgar Score on Pattern Visual Evoked Potentials in Children with History of Prematurity

Neural Plasticity ◽

10.1155/2015/754864 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Marta Michalczuk ◽

Beata Urban ◽

Beata Chrzanowska-Grenda ◽

Monika Oziębło-Kupczyk ◽

Alina Bakunowicz-Łazarczyk

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Apgar Score ◽

Developmental Rate ◽

School Age Children ◽

School Age ◽

Predicting Factors ◽

Positive Linear Correlation ◽

History Of ◽

Preterm Born

Purpose. The objective of our study was to examine a possible influence of gestational age, birth weight, and Apgar score on amplitudes and latencies of P100 wave in preterm born school-age children.Materials and Methods. We examined the following group of school-age children: 28 with history of prematurity (mean age 10.56 ± 1.66 years) and 25 born at term (mean age 11.2 ± 1.94 years). The monocular PVEP was performed in all children.Results. The P100 wave amplitudes and latencies significantly differ between preterm born school-age children and those born at term. There was an essential positive linear correlation of the P100 wave amplitudes with birth weight, gestational age, and Apgar score. There were the negative linear correlations of P100 latencies in 15-minute stimulation from O1 and Oz electrode with Apgar score and O1 and O2 electrode with gestational age.Conclusions. PVEP responses vary in preterm born children in comparison to term. Low birth weight, early gestational age, and poor baseline output seem to be the predicting factors for the developmental rate of a brain function in children with history of prematurity. Further investigations are necessary to determine perinatal factors that can affect the modified visual system function in preterm born children.

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Very preterm born children at early school age: Healthcare therapies and educational provisions

Early Human Development ◽

10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2017.12.010 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 117 ◽

pp. 39-43 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

S. van Veen ◽

C.S.H. Aarnoudse-Moens ◽

J. Oosterlaan ◽

L. van Sonderen ◽

T.R. de Haan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

School Age ◽

Very Preterm ◽

Early School ◽

Early School Age ◽

Preterm Born

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Behaviour at 2 years of age in very preterm infants (gestational age <32 weeks)

Acta Paediatrica ◽

10.1080/08035350310011551 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 92 (5) ◽

pp. 1-1 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

GMSJ Stoelhorst ◽

SE Martens ◽

M Rijken ◽

van Zwieten PHT ◽

AH Zwinderman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Preterm Infants ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Very Preterm Infants ◽

Very Preterm

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Neurobehavioral Sequelae in School-Age Children Born at Extremely Low Birth Weight or Very Preterm

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e333012004-001 ◽

2003 ◽

Author(s):

P. Anderson ◽

◽

L. W. Doyle ◽

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Extremely Low Birth Weight ◽

School Age Children ◽

School Age ◽

Very Preterm

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Measurement of the Brain Volume/Liver Volume Ratio by Three‐Dimensional MRI in Appropriate‐for‐Gestational Age Fetuses and Those With Fetal Growth Restriction

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

10.1002/jmri.27792 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kui Li ◽

Guohui Yan ◽

Weizeng Zheng ◽

Jin Sun ◽

Yu Zou

Keyword(s):

Fetal Growth ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Fetal Growth Restriction ◽

Brain Volume ◽

Liver Volume ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Volume Ratio ◽

Growth Restriction ◽

Appropriate For Gestational Age ◽

The Brain

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Gestational Age Dependency of Umbilical Cord Serum IL-6 Levels for Detecting Fetal Inflammation

American Journal of Perinatology ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1721373 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sota Iwatani ◽

Takao Kobayashi ◽

Sachiko Matsui ◽

Akihiro Hirata ◽

Miwa Yamamoto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Umbilical Cord ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Area Under The Curve ◽

Roc Curves ◽

Significant Negative Correlation ◽

Cord Serum ◽

Very Preterm ◽

Key Points ◽

Extremely Preterm ◽

Preterm Newborns

Objective The fetal inflammatory response syndrome (FIRS) is characterized by elevated concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in fetal blood, with preterm delivery and morbidity. Umbilical cord serum interleukin-6 (UC-s-IL-6) is an ideal marker for detecting FIRS. However, the effect of gestational age (GA) on UC-s-IL-6 levels has not been reported. This study aimed to determine the relationship between GA and UC-s-IL-6 levels, and GA-dependent cutoff values of UC-s-IL-6 levels for detecting fetal inflammation. Study Design UC-s-IL-6 concentrations were measured in 194 newborns (44 extremely preterm newborns (EPNs) at 22–27 weeks' GA, 68 very preterm newborns (VPNs) at 28–31 weeks' GA, and 82 preterm newborns (PNs) at 32–34 weeks' GA). Linear regression analyses were used to correlate GA and UC-s-IL-6 levels. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analyses were performed for detecting the presence of funisitis, as the histopathological counterpart of FIRS. Results A significant negative correlation between GA and UC-s-IL-6 levels was found in newborns with severe funisitis (r s = − 0.427, p = 0.004) and those with mild funisitis (r s = − 0.396, p = 0.025). ROC curve analyses revealed the area under the curve for detecting funisitis were 0.856, 0.837, and 0.622 in EPNs, VPNs, and PNs, respectively. The UC-s-IL-6 cutoff value in EPNs (28.1 pg/mL) exceeded those in VPNs and PNs (3.7 and 3.0 pg/mL, respectively). Conclusion UC-s-IL-6 levels were inversely correlated with GA especially in newborns with funisitis. Such GA dependency of UC-s-IL-6 should be considered for detecting fetal inflammation. Key Points

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