Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

90.5K

Growing up after extremely preterm birth: lifespan mental health outcomes

Samantha Johnson1, Neil Marlow2

  • 1Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 6TP, UK.

Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
|December 3, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Individuals born extremely preterm face lifelong mental health challenges, including attention, social, and emotional difficulties. These issues stem from neurodevelopmental origins, requiring careful study and interpretation.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Growing interest in long-term mental health of extremely preterm infants.
  • Preterm birth is associated with various developmental challenges.
  • Understanding lifelong mental health sequelae is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review literature on mental health outcomes across the lifespan for individuals born extremely preterm.
  • To identify continuity and specific risks in mental health.
  • To explore the neurodevelopmental origins of these challenges.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies across preschool, school age, adolescence, and adulthood.
  • Analysis of behavioural and neuroimaging data.
  • Synthesis of contemporary evidence and methodological considerations.

Main Results:

  • Continuity of mental health outcomes observed from early childhood to adulthood.
  • Increased risk for inattention, socio-communicative problems, and emotional difficulties.
  • Evidence supports a neurodevelopmental origin for mental health disorders.

Conclusions:

  • Extremely preterm birth confers a lasting risk for specific mental health issues.
  • Neurodevelopmental factors play a significant role in these outcomes.
  • Methodological rigor is essential for accurate research interpretation.

Keywords:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderAutism spectrum disordersComorbidityMental healthOutcomesPreterm birth

More Related Videos

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats07:36

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats

Published on: November 20, 2015

10.5K
Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit11:50

Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Published on: January 7, 2020

28.6K

Related Concept Videos

Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
1.4K
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
19.4K
Introduction to Developmental Psychology01:27

Introduction to Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychology explores the changes and continuities in human abilities throughout life, encompassing physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social dimensions. Human development is not restricted to growth, but includes aspects of decline, particularly in physical abilities as individuals age. Developmental psychologists seek to understand how people change as they age and how their mental and social skills evolve.Developmental MilestonesA key concept in developmental psychology is...
2.3K
Relationship with Parents: Attachment01:28

Relationship with Parents: Attachment

Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
381
Stress and Mental Health01:30

Stress and Mental Health

Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
1.8K
Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from...
68