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Cortical thickness and cognition in very-low-birth-weight late teenagers

Knut Jørgen Bjuland1, Gro Christine Christensen Løhaugen, Marit Martinussen

  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. knut.j.bjuland@ntnu.no

Early Human Development
|January 1, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Very low birth weight (VLBW) individuals show persistent cortical thickness deviations in adulthood, linked to prematurity and cognitive function. These brain changes impact grey and white matter maturation and future cognitive abilities.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Children born with very low birth weight (VLBW) face increased risks of perinatal brain injury.
  • This injury can affect grey and white matter maturation, potentially impacting cognitive development.
  • Aberrant cortical development in VLBW individuals may have long-term implications for cognitive functioning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify cortical thickness deviations in VLBW late teenagers.
  • To examine the relationship between cortical thickness, perinatal factors, and IQ in VLBW individuals.
  • To compare cortical development in VLBW late teenagers with term-born controls.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective follow-up study design tracked children from birth to early adulthood.
  • MRI scans were used to reconstruct cortical surfaces in 47 VLBW individuals and 61 term-born controls aged 18-21.
  • Cognitive function was assessed using the WAIS-III, measuring full IQ and IQ indices.

Main Results:

  • VLBW individuals exhibited thinner cortex in left parietal/temporal lobes and thicker frontal cortex compared to controls.
  • Positive correlations were found between IQ and cortical thickness in frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes among VLBW subjects.
  • The most significant cortical changes were observed in VLBW individuals with lower birth weight, gestational age, and IQ below 89.

Conclusions:

  • Persistent cortical deviations are evident in VLBW late teenagers.
  • These brain differences are associated with prematurity and the level of cognitive functioning.
  • Cortical development in VLBW individuals is linked to perinatal factors and long-term cognitive outcomes.
Abstract

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