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Schneider D, Bouhali F, Richter CG, Costache R, Costache C, Kirchhoffer K, Sheth V, MacDonald I, Hoeft F. Perinatal influences on academic achievement and the developing brain: a scoping systematic review. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1352241. [PMID: 38962224 PMCID: PMC11221367 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1352241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction and methods In this PRISMA-compliant systematic review, we identify and synthesize the findings of research in which neuroimaging and assessments of achievement have been used to examine the relationships among aspects of developmental programming, neurodevelopment, and achievement in reading and mathematics. Results Forty-seven studies met inclusion criteria. The majority examined the impact of prematurity (n = 32) and prenatal alcohol exposure (n = 13). Several prematurity studies reported a positive correlation between white-matter integrity of callosal fibers and executive functioning and/or achievement, and white matter properties were consistently associated with cognitive and academic performance in preterm and full-term children. Volumetric studies reported positive associations between academic and cognitive abilities and white and gray matter volume in regions such as the insula, putamen, and prefrontal lobes. Functional MRI studies demonstrated increased right-hemispheric language processing among preterm children. Altered activation of the frontoparietal network related to numerical abilities was also reported. Prenatal alcohol exposure studies reported alterations in white matter microstructure linked to deficits in cognitive functioning and academic achievement, including mathematics, reading, and vocabulary skills. Volumetric studies reported reductions in cerebral, cerebellar, and subcortical gray matter volumes associated with decreased scores on measures of executive functioning, attention, working memory, and academic performance. Functional MRI studies demonstrated broad, diffuse activation, reduced activation in canonical regions, and increased activation in non-canonical regions during numeric tasks. Discussion A preponderance of studies linked prematurity and prenatal alcohol exposure to altered neurodevelopmental processes and suboptimal academic achievement. Limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed. Systematic review registration Identifier: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/ZAN67.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Schneider
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Webster University, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Caroline G. Richter
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Radu Costache
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Catalina Costache
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Kaitlyn Kirchhoffer
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Vatsa Sheth
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Ibo MacDonald
- Institute of Higher Education and Research in Healthcare, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Fumiko Hoeft
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Bousquet A, Sanderson K, O’Shea TM, Fry RC. Accelerated Aging and the Life Course of Individuals Born Preterm. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1683. [PMID: 37892346 PMCID: PMC10605448 DOI: 10.3390/children10101683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Individuals born preterm have shorter lifespans and elevated rates of chronic illness that contribute to mortality risk when compared to individuals born at term. Emerging evidence suggests that individuals born preterm or of low birthweight also exhibit physiologic and cellular biomarkers of accelerated aging. It is unclear whether, and to what extent, accelerated aging contributes to a higher risk of chronic illness and mortality among individuals born preterm. Here, we review accelerated aging phenotypes in adults born preterm and biological pathways that appear to contribute to accelerated aging. We highlight biomarkers of accelerated aging and various resiliency factors, including both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic factors, that might buffer the propensity for accelerated aging among individuals born preterm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Bousquet
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.B.); (R.C.F.)
| | - Keia Sanderson
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
| | - T. Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.B.); (R.C.F.)
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Wilkey ED, Gupta I, Peiris A, Ansari D. The mathematical brain at rest. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Trickett J, Bernardi M, Fahy A, Lancaster R, Larsen J, Ni Y, Suonpera E, Wolke D, Marlow N, Johnson S. Neuropsychological abilities underpinning academic attainment in children born extremely preterm. Child Neuropsychol 2022; 28:746-767. [PMID: 35021954 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.2014433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Children born extremely preterm (EP) have poorer academic attainment than their term-born peers. There is a need to identify the specific cognitive mechanisms that are associated with poor academic attainment in preterm populations to inform the development of intervention strategies. A parallel mediation analysis was conducted with cross-sectional data from 152 EP children (< 27 weeks of gestation) and 120 term-born controls who were assessed at age 11. Mathematics and reading attainment was assessed using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test 2nd Edition. Controlling for sex and socio-economic status we evaluated the following mediators: verbal working memory, visuospatial working memory, verbal processing speed, attention, and visuospatial processing. These were assessed using subtests from the standardized NEPSY-II test and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-5th Edition. Verbal working memory, visuospatial working memory, visuospatial processing and verbal processing speed, but not attention, were significant independent mediators between EP birth and attainment in reading. No direct relationship between EP birth and reading attainment remained in the mediated model. All five neuropsychological variables mediated the relationship between EP birth and attainment in mathematics, but a direct effect of EP birth on mathematics remained in the mediated model. Together, all five neuropsychological abilities indirectly explained 44% of the variance in reading and 52% of the variance in mathematics. Visuospatial processing was the strongest mediator of both mathematics and reading. Components of executive function, especially visuospatial processing, are important predictors of academic attainment. Interventions to improve visuospatial skills could be trialed in EP populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne Trickett
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Amanda Fahy
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Lancaster
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Jennifer Larsen
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Yanyan Ni
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Emmi Suonpera
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Dieter Wolke
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Neil Marlow
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Samantha Johnson
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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Medise BE. Growth and Development in Preterm Infants: What is The Long-Term Risk? AMERTA NUTRITION 2021. [DOI: 10.20473/amnt.v5i1sp.2021.27-33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Background: Indonesia comes in the fifth for the greatest number of preterm births. Preterm infants may inflict various complication as the result of underdeveloped immunity, affecting their growth and development in the long run until they reach adult phase. Such complications could be prevented through adequate nutrition fulfillment. Purpose: This article aimed to elaborate the characteristics of growth and development of premature babies, long term effect on the development and the impact of immunity and gut health of preterm infants in supporting their growth and development. Methods: References cited in this article were obtained from the latest primary literature within the last 10 years. Discussion: The rate and ability of infants to perform catch-up growth depends on the birth weight and gestation age, at which the lower birth weight and lower gestational age had slower rate. Brain structures that of preterm infants differ compared to the term, and these changes give rise to various clinical outcomes, including long term emotional, behavioral changes, cognitive and executive functioning. Immature immune system in preterm infants reduces the protective ability by innate and adaptive immunity in overcoming pathogens compared to term infants, including gut microbiota prematurity which affects nutrition absorption and growth and development catch up ability. Appropriate and adequate nutrition supplementation has shown beneficial effects in promoting the growth of normal gut flora, which allow better absorption of nutrition and therefore enhancing growth rate and supporting the development of preterm infants. Conclusions: Optimal growth and development of preterm infants are supported by sufficient nutrition supplementation to support the growth of gut microbiota, facilitating the catch-up growth and development of premature infants and immune system maturity.
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Advances in functional and diffusion neuroimaging research into the long-term consequences of very preterm birth. J Perinatol 2021; 41:689-706. [PMID: 33099576 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-020-00865-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Very preterm birth (<32 weeks of gestation) has been associated with lifelong difficulties in a variety of neurocognitive functions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with advanced analytical approaches have been employed in order to increase our understanding of the neurodevelopmental problems that many very preterm born individuals face as they grow up. In this review, we will focus on two novel imaging techniques that have explored relationships between specific brain mechanisms and behavioural outcomes. These are functional MRI, which maps regional, time-varying changes in brain metabolism and diffusion-weighted MRI, which measures the displacement of water molecules in tissue and provides quantitative information about tissue microstructure. Identifying the neurobiological underpinning of the long-term sequelae associated with very preterm birth could inform the development and implementation of preventative interventions (before any cognitive problem emerges) and could facilitate the identification of behavioural targets for improving the life course outcomes of very preterm individuals.
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Duerden EG, Thompson B, Poppe T, Alsweiler J, Gamble G, Jiang Y, Leung M, Tottman AC, Wouldes T, Miller SP, Harding JE. Early protein intake predicts functional connectivity and neurocognition in preterm born children. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4085. [PMID: 33602973 PMCID: PMC7892564 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83125-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Nutritional intake can promote early neonatal brain development in very preterm born neonates (< 32 weeks’ gestation). In a group of 7-year-old very preterm born children followed since birth, we examined whether early nutrient intake in the first weeks of life would be associated with long-term brain function and neurocognitive skills at school age. Children underwent resting-state functional MRI (fMRI), intelligence testing (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 5th Ed) and visual-motor processing (Beery-Buktenica, 5th Ed) at 7 years. Relationships were assessed between neonatal macronutrient intakes, functional connectivity strength between thalamic and default mode networks (DMN), and neuro-cognitive function using multivariable regression. Greater functional connectivity strength between thalamic networks and DMN was associated with greater intake of protein in the first week (β = 0.17; 95% CI 0.11, 0.23, p < 0.001) but lower intakes of fat (β = − 0.06; 95% CI − 0.09, − 0.02, p = 0.001) and carbohydrates (β = − 0.03; 95% CI − 0.04, − 0.01, p = 0.003). Connectivity strength was also associated with protein intake during the first month (β = 0.22; 95% CI 0.06, 0.37, p = 0.006). Importantly, greater thalamic-DMN connectivity strength was associated with higher processing speed indices (β = 26.9; 95% CI 4.21, 49.49, p = 0.02) and visual processing scores (β = 9.03; 95% CI 2.27, 15.79, p = 0.009). Optimizing early protein intake may contribute to promoting long-term brain health in preterm-born children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma G Duerden
- Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, Western University, London, ON, Canada. .,Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Benjamin Thompson
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.,School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tanya Poppe
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Alsweiler
- Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Greg Gamble
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Yannan Jiang
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Myra Leung
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Anna C Tottman
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Trecia Wouldes
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Steven P Miller
- Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jane E Harding
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Self-Esteem and Motivation for Learning in Academic Achievement: The Mediating Role of Reasoning and Verbal Fluidity. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12145768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The goal of the present study was to analyze the joint role that non-cognitive (motivation and self-esteem) and cognitive (verbal fluency and reasoning) factors play on academic achievement, both as a global score and in relation to specific subjects, such as language and literature and mathematics. We also analyzed the mediating role of cognitive factors. We recruited a sample of 133 primary education students (aged 6–9 years old) (47.6% girls, 52.6% boys), to whom various measures of the above-indicated variables were administered. Several predictive models were tested through a mediational regression analysis. The results indicated the relevance of intrinsic motivation together with self-esteem as predictors of academic achievement mediated by the cognitive abilities verbal fluency and reasoning. These relationships differed depending on the specific subject. We discuss the educational implications of these findings and emphasize, on the one hand, that academic achievement depends on both cognitive and non-cognitive factors and, on the other hand, the malleability of cognitive factors, as they seem to improve based on motivation and self-esteem.
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9
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Hadaya L, Nosarti C. The neurobiological correlates of cognitive outcomes in adolescence and adulthood following very preterm birth. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 2020; 25:101117. [PMID: 32451305 DOI: 10.1016/j.siny.2020.101117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Very preterm birth (<33 weeks of gestation) has been associated with alterations in structural and functional brain development in regions that are believed to underlie a variety of cognitive processes. While such alterations have been often studied in the context of cognitive vulnerability, early disruption to programmed developmental processes may also lead to neuroplastic and functional adaptations, which support cognitive performance. In this review, we will focus on executive function and intelligence as the main cognitive outcomes following very preterm birth in adolescence and adulthood in relation to their structural and functional neurobiological correlates. The neuroimaging modalities we review provide quantitative assessments of brain morphology, white matter macro and micro-structure, structural and functional connectivity and haemodynamic responses associated with specific cognitive operations. Identifying the neurobiological underpinning of the long-term sequelae associated with very preterm birth may guide the development and implementation of targeted neurobehaviourally-informed interventions for those at high risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laila Hadaya
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Faculty of Life Science and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Chiara Nosarti
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Bouyssi-Kobar M, De Asis-Cruz J, Murnick J, Chang T, Limperopoulos C. Altered Functional Brain Network Integration, Segregation, and Modularity in Infants Born Very Preterm at Term-Equivalent Age. J Pediatr 2019; 213:13-21.e1. [PMID: 31358292 PMCID: PMC6765421 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the functional network organization of the brain in infants born very preterm at term-equivalent age and to relate network alterations to known clinical risk factors for poor neurologic outcomes in prematurity. STUDY DESIGN Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 66 infants born very preterm (gestational age <32 weeks and birth weight <1500 g) and 66 healthy neonates born at full term, acquired as part of a prospective, cross-sectional study, were compared at term age using graph theory. Features of resting-state networks, including integration, segregation, and modularity, were derived from correlated hemodynamic activity arising from 93 cortical and subcortical regions of interest and compared between groups. RESULTS Despite preserved small-world topology and modular organization, resting-state networks of infants born very preterm at term-equivalent age were less segregated and less integrated than those of infants born full term. Chronic respiratory illness (ie, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and the length of oxygen support) was associated with decreased global efficiency and increased path lengths (P < .05). In both cohorts, 4 functional modules with similar composition were observed (parietal/temporal, frontal, subcortical/limbic, and occipital). The density of connections in 3 of the 4 modules was decreased in the very preterm network (P < .01); however, in the occipital/visual cortex module, connectivity was increased in infants born very preterm relative to control infants (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS Early exposure to the ex utero environment is associated with altered resting-state network functional organization in infants born very preterm at term-equivalent age, likely reflecting disrupted brain maturational processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Bouyssi-Kobar
- The Developing Brain Research Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC,Institute for Biomedical Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Josepheen De Asis-Cruz
- The Developing Brain Research Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC
| | - Jonathan Murnick
- The Developing Brain Research Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC
| | - Taeun Chang
- Department of Neurology, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC
| | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- The Developing Brain Research Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC.
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Jaekel J, Baumann N, Bartmann P, Wolke D. General cognitive but not mathematic abilities predict very preterm and healthy term born adults' wealth. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212789. [PMID: 30865719 PMCID: PMC6415831 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Very preterm (<32 weeks gestation; VP) and/or very low birth weight (<1500g; VLBW) children often have cognitive and mathematic difficulties. It is unknown whether VP/VLBW children’s frequent mathematic problems significantly add to the burden of negative life-course consequences over and above effects of more general cognitive deficits. Our aim was to determine whether negative consequences of VP/VLBW versus healthy term birth on adult wealth are mediated by mathematic abilities in childhood, or rather explained by more general cognitive abilities. Methods 193 VP/VLBW and 217 healthy term comparison participants were studied prospectively from birth to adulthood as part of a geographically defined study in Bavaria (South Germany). Mathematic and general cognitive abilities were assessed at 8 years with standardized tests; wealth information was assessed at 26 years with a structured interview and summarized into a comprehensive index score. All scores were z-standardized. Results At 8 years, VP/VLBW (n = 193, 52.3% male) had lower mathematic and general cognitive abilities than healthy term comparison children (n = 217, 47.0% male). At 26 years, VP/VLBW had accumulated significantly lower overall wealth than term born comparison adults (-0.57 (1.08) versus -0.01 (1.00), mean difference 0.56 [0.36–0.77], p < .001). Structural equation modeling confirmed that VP/VLBW birth (β = -.13, p = .022) and childhood IQ (β = .24, p < .001) both directly predicted adult wealth, but math did not (β = .05, p = .413). Analyses were controlled for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth, child sex, and family socioeconomic status. Conclusion This longitudinal study from birth to adulthood shows that VP/VLBW survivors’ general cognitive rather than specific mathematic problems explain their diminished life-course success. These findings are important in order to design effective interventions at school age that reduce the burden of prematurity for those individuals who were born at highest neonatal risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Jaekel
- Department of Child and Family Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Nicole Baumann
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | | | - Dieter Wolke
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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Rogers CE, Lean RE, Wheelock MD, Smyser CD. Aberrant structural and functional connectivity and neurodevelopmental impairment in preterm children. J Neurodev Disord 2018; 10:38. [PMID: 30541449 PMCID: PMC6291944 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-018-9253-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite advances in antenatal and neonatal care, preterm birth remains a leading cause of neurological disabilities in children. Infants born prematurely, particularly those delivered at the earliest gestational ages, commonly demonstrate increased rates of impairment across multiple neurodevelopmental domains. Indeed, the current literature establishes that preterm birth is a leading risk factor for cerebral palsy, is associated with executive function deficits, increases risk for impaired receptive and expressive language skills, and is linked with higher rates of co-occurring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and autism spectrum disorders. These same infants also demonstrate elevated rates of aberrant cerebral structural and functional connectivity, with persistent changes evident across advanced magnetic resonance imaging modalities as early as the neonatal period. Emerging findings from cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations increasingly suggest that aberrant connectivity within key functional networks and white matter tracts may underlie the neurodevelopmental impairments common in this population. Main body This review begins by highlighting the elevated rates of neurodevelopmental disorders across domains in this clinical population, describes the patterns of aberrant structural and functional connectivity common in prematurely-born infants and children, and then reviews the increasingly established body of literature delineating the relationship between these brain abnormalities and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. We also detail important, typically understudied, clinical, and social variables that may influence these relationships among preterm children, including heritability and psychosocial risks. Conclusion Future work in this domain should continue to leverage longitudinal evaluations of preterm infants which include both neuroimaging and detailed serial neurodevelopmental assessments to further characterize relationships between imaging measures and impairment, information necessary for advancing our understanding of modifiable risk factors underlying these disorders and best practices for improving neurodevelopmental trajectories in this high-risk clinical population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia E Rogers
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8504, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| | - Rachel E Lean
- Departments of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8504, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Muriah D Wheelock
- Departments of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8504, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Christopher D Smyser
- Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics and Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
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Raju TNK, Buist AS, Blaisdell CJ, Moxey-Mims M, Saigal S. Adults born preterm: a review of general health and system-specific outcomes. Acta Paediatr 2017; 106:1409-1437. [PMID: 28419544 DOI: 10.1111/apa.13880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In this review of 126 publications, we report that an overwhelming majority of adults born at preterm gestations remain healthy and well. However, a small, but a significant fraction of them remain at higher risk for neurological, personality and behavioural abnormalities, cardio-pulmonary functional limitations, systemic hypertension and metabolic syndrome compared to their term-born counterparts. The magnitude of increased risk differed across organ systems and varied across reports. The risks were proportional to the degree of prematurity at birth and seemed to occur more frequently among preterm infants born in the final two decades of the 20th century and later. These findings have considerable public health and clinical practice relevance. CONCLUSION Preterm birth needs to be considered a chronic condition, with a slight increase in the risk for long-term morbidities among adults born preterm. Therefore, obtaining a history of gestational age and weight at birth should be a routine part of care for patients of all age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonse N. K. Raju
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Portland OR USA
| | | | | | - Marva Moxey-Mims
- National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases; Bethesda MD USA
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