Long-term therapeutic effects of Katona therapy in moderate-to-severe perinatal brain damage

Subcortical Change and Neurohabilitation Treatment Adherence Effects in Extremely Preterm Children

Extremely preterm birth entails an increased risk for multimorbidity and the prevalence of developmental deficits because this risk is negatively correlated to the number of gestation weeks. This work evaluated subcortical volume changes in children born extremely preterm who received Katona neurohabilitation, as well as the effects of subcortical volume and treatment adherence on their three-year-old neurodevelopment outcomes. Fifteen extremely preterm-born participants were treated from two months to two years old and followed up until past three years of age. The participants received Katona neurohabilitation, which provides vestibular and proprioceptive stimulation and promotes movement integration through the early, intensive practice of human-specific elementary movements. Subcortical brain volumes from magnetic resonance images were obtained at the beginning and after treatment. Also, treatment adherence to Katona neurohabilitation and neurodevelopment outcomes were measured. The results showed that absolute subcortical volumes increased after treatment; however, when adjusted by intracranial volume, these volumes decreased. Subcortical function inhibition allows cortical control and increased connectivity, which may explain decreased adjusted volume. Regression analyses showed that after-treatment hippocampal volumes had a discrete predictive value. However, treatment adherence showed a clear effect on mental and psychomotor neurodevelopment. Thus, the effectiveness of Katona neurohabilitation is constrained by treatment adherence.

Intellectual Development in Mexican Preterm Children at Risk of Perinatal Brain Damage: A Longitudinal Study

Preterm birth accounts for about 10% of births worldwide. Studying risk factors for perinatal brain damage is essential, as findings suggest that almost 20% of disabilities are linked to risks in the early stages of development. This research aimed to study longitudinal changes in intelligence from 6 to 8 years of age in a sample of 39 preterm children with a history of risk of brain damage and a control group of 35 children born at term. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC-IV) was used to measure cognitive ability at six, seven, and eight years old. The results showed that the preterm group obtained significantly lower scores than the control group. The working memory indicator significantly affected the interaction between age and prematurity. We consider it crucial to expand the knowledge we have about the neurocognitive development of premature infants, both in specific cognitive domains and in age ranges, so that the information obtained can help predict the probability of presenting cognitive alterations from early stages. This, therefore, helps in implementing intervention strategies and programs based on scientific evidence, and their design is complemented by clinical experience and empirical and theoretical knowledge of the different professionals involved in infant cognitive intervention.