Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol
19:32

Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol

Published on: February 18, 2012

Cortical visual function in preterm infants in the first year

Daniela Ricci1, Laura Cesarini, Francesca Gallini

  • 1Paediatric Neurology Unit, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|January 9, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Most visual functions mature similarly in preterm and term infants during the first year. However, preterm infants show persistent difficulties with fixation shift, indicating potential issues with visual attention and cortical processing.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Ophthalmology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Preterm birth can impact neurodevelopment, including visual pathways.
  • Understanding visual maturation in preterm infants is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare visual function maturation in low-risk preterm infants with term-born infants.
  • To identify potential delays or differences in visual development during the first year.

Main Methods:

  • Seventy-five low-risk preterm infants (25.0-30.9 weeks gestation) were assessed.
  • Ophthalmological examinations and tests for visual fields, acuity, and fixation shift were conducted at 3, 5, and 12 months corrected age.

Main Results:

  • Visual function maturation was comparable to term-born infants in most tested areas.
  • A significant percentage of preterm infants failed the fixation shift test at all time points (3, 5, and 12 months).

Conclusions:

  • Preterm infants exhibit a distinct visual behavior profile.
  • Difficulties with fixation shift suggest potential challenges in visual attention and cortical processing in this population.
Abstract

More Related Videos

How to Obtain Reliable Visual Event-related Potentials in Newborns07:39

How to Obtain Reliable Visual Event-related Potentials in Newborns

Published on: October 24, 2019

A Method to Quantify Visual Information Processing in Children Using Eye Tracking09:47

A Method to Quantify Visual Information Processing in Children Using Eye Tracking

Published on: July 9, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Vision01:24

Vision

Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
Visual System01:26

Visual System

Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...