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Published on: October 24, 2019
Pattern visual evoked potential performance in preterm preschoolers with average intelligence quotients
Jing-Jing Feng1, Xiu Xu, Wei-Ping Wang
1Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Insights
Preterm preschoolers, even with average intelligence, show visual-spatial perception deficits. Pattern reversal visual evoked potential (PRVEP) testing can objectively identify these visual processing issues in children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Preterm infants often experience visual perceptual and visual-motor impairments.
- Visual perceptual deficits can significantly impact daily functioning.
- Limited research connects electrophysiological visual system assessments with spatial information processing in preterm preschoolers of average intelligence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the pattern reversal visual evoked potential (PRVEP) responses to varying spatial frequencies in preterm preschoolers.
- To compare these PRVEP responses between preterm and normal children.
Main Methods:
- Included 20 very low birth weight (VLBW), 41 low birth weight (LBW), and 41 normal children (ages 4-6).
- All participants had average intelligence quotients (assessed via WPPSI) and no major disabilities.
- PRVEP was recorded at five spatial frequencies (108', 54', 27', 13', 7') using a neuroelectrophysiological device.
Main Results:
- LBW and VLBW groups scored lower in verbal, performance, and overall intelligence compared to controls, though within the average range.
- VLBW group showed significantly prolonged P100 latencies at all spatial frequencies; LBW group showed delays at 13' and 7' check sizes.
- P100 amplitudes were significantly smaller in VLBW and LBW groups across all spatial frequencies, with VLBW amplitudes being the lowest.
Conclusions:
- Preterm preschoolers with average cognitive abilities are susceptible to visual-spatial perception deficits, particularly with complex visual information.
- PRVEP serves as an objective and practical tool for detecting visual perception problems in children.
Background:
Preterm infants are more likely to develop visual perceptual and visual-motor impairments. Visual perceptual deficiencies may contribute to significant difficulties in daily life, but few reports are available relating electrophysiological assessment of the visual system to spatial information problems in premature preschoolers with average intelligence quotients.
Aim:
This study was designed to investigate preterm preschoolers' responses to various spatial frequencies of pattern reversal visual evoked potential (PRVEP) and compare them to normal children.
Design:
Participants were 20 very low birth weight (VLBW), 41 low birth weight (LBW) and 41 normal children who were 4 to 6 years old and were free from major disability and developmentally appropriate for gestational age at birth. They were evaluated using the Chinese population adaptation of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) and recorded PRVEP at five levels of spatial frequency (checkerboard pattern (check) sizes of 108', 54', 27', 13' and 7') using a VikingQuest-IV neuroelectrophysiological device (Nicolet, Madison, WI, USA).
Results:
Compared with normal children, the LBW and VLBW groups had significantly lower level in the tests of verbal, performance and overall intelligence quotients, particularly in performance, although the levels were within the average range. The PRVEP P100 wave latencies were significantly prolonged at all five degrees of spatial frequency in the VLBW group compared with the controls, while showing delay in the LBW with 13' and 7' check size. In the meanwhile, the amplitudes of P100 at all five spatial frequencies were significantly smaller in the VLBW and LBW groups than in the normal children. And VLBW group had even lower P100 amplitudes than the LBW group.
Conclusions:
Preterm preschoolers with average cognition capability are at risk of defect in visual-spatial perception, especially when they are confronted with more complicated information. PRVEP may provide an objective and convenient measurement in detecting the problem of visual perception in children.
