Cognitive flexibility in 12-month-old preterm and term infants is associated with neurobehavioural development in 18-month-olds

Measuring spatial navigation during locomotion in children: A systematic review

Spatial navigation allows us to move around our environment, walking being the most advanced form of human locomotion. Over the years, a range of tools has been developed to study spatial navigation in children. Aim. To describe the role of locomotion during the assessment of spatial navigation in children, providing an overview of the instruments available for assessing spatial navigation in typically developing children and those with neurodevelopmental disorders. Methods and Procedures. A systematic search was performed in six electronic databases between December 2022 and February 2023, then updated in July 2023. Cross-sectional and observational studies were included. Outcomes and results. Of the 3,385 studies screened, 47 were selected for this review. Five studies described the influence of locomotion on spatial navigation, and seven studies included locomotion as an explanatory variable in this area. Most studies focused on children from five to twelve years old, whereas only nine were centred on infants and preschoolers. Just eight assessed spatial abilities in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Conclusions and implications. Children with or at risk of neurodevelopmental impairments show poorer spatial navigation skills. Having the choice to actively explore the space is more important than the way they locomote. It is necessary to have tools to assess spatial navigation during locomotion early in infancy.

Predicting 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants using multimodal structural brain magnetic resonance imaging with local connectivity

The neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants can be stratified based on the level of prematurity. We explored brain structural networks in extremely preterm (EP; < 28 weeks of gestation) and very-to-late (V-LP; ≥ 28 and < 37 weeks of gestation) preterm infants at term-equivalent age to predict 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes. Using MRI and diffusion MRI on 62 EP and 131 V-LP infants, we built a multimodal feature set for volumetric and structural network analysis. We employed linear and nonlinear machine learning models to predict the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) scores, assessing predictive accuracy and feature importance. Our findings revealed that models incorporating local connectivity features demonstrated high predictive performance for BSID-III subsets in preterm infants. Specifically, for cognitive scores in preterm (variance explained, 17%) and V-LP infants (variance explained, 17%), and for motor scores in EP infants (variance explained, 15%), models with local connectivity features outperformed others. Additionally, a model using only local connectivity features effectively predicted language scores in preterm infants (variance explained, 15%). This study underscores the value of multimodal feature sets, particularly local connectivity, in predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes, highlighting the utility of machine learning in understanding microstructural changes and their implications for early intervention.

Impact of intrapartum oxytocin administration on neonatal sucking behavior and breastfeeding

This study aimed to examine the effect of intrapartum oxytocin administration on neonatal sucking behavior and breastfeeding. A total of 64 pairs (29 in the group treated with intrapartum oxytocin and 35 in the control group) of normal infants within 24-48 h of birth and their mothers were recruited. Sucking ability was evaluated by measuring Non-Nutritive Sucking (NNS) for 5 min. Data on the rate of exclusive breastfeeding at 1 month postpartum were collected. In the adjusted multiple regression models, intrapartum oxytocin exposure was significantly associated with fewer total NNS bursts (95% confidence interval (CI), -7.02 to -0.22), longer pause times (95% CI, 1.33 to 10.21), and greater pause-time variability (95% CI, 3.63 to 63.92). Effects estimated using structural equation modeling revealed that intrapartum oxytocin exposure had a significant negative and direct effect on the practice of exclusive breastfeeding 1 month postpartum (β = -0.238, p = 0.047). However, no NNS-mediated indirect effects were observed. This report demonstrates that infants born to mothers who receive intrapartum oxytocin may have impaired sucking ability for at least the first 48 h after birth, and breastfeeding support should be provided.

Impact of Differing Language Background Exposures on Bayley-III Language Assessment in a National Cohort of Children Born Less than 29 Weeks' Gestation

Preterm infants are at risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, especially language delay. Preterm infants < 29 weeks’ gestational age, cared for in Canadian Neonatal Follow-Up Network affiliated hospitals, were assessed between 18 to 21 months corrected age using the Bayley-III. Bayley-III Language Composite Scores were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses for children in three primary language groups: English, French and other. 6146 children were included. The primary language at home was English, French or another language for 3708 children (60%), 1312 children (21%) and 1126 children (18%), respectively, and overall, 44% were exposed to two or more languages at home. Univariate analysis showed that primary language was associated with lower Bayley-III Language scores; however, multivariate analyses demonstrated that neither primary language nor language of administration were significantly associated with lower language scores when adjusted for gestational age, other developmental delays and sociodemographic factors, but multiple language exposure was. Sociodemographic and other factors are more important in determining language development than primary language at home. Further studies are needed to examine the association between exposure to multiple languages and lower Bayley-III language scores in preterm infants.