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A Method to Quantify Visual Information Processing in Children Using Eye Tracking
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Visual sensory and perceptive functioning in 5-year-old very preterm/very-low-birthweight children

Christiaan Ja Geldof1, Jaap Oosterlaan, Pieter Jelle Vuijk

  • 1Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Royal Dutch Visio, Centre of Expertise for Blind and Partially Sighted People, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|March 4, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Very preterm/very-low-birthweight children show visual sensory and perceptive deficits, impacting intelligence. These visual impairments are linked to lower IQ scores, particularly Performance IQ.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neuroscience
  • Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Preterm birth and low birth weight are associated with increased risks of neurodevelopmental challenges.
  • Visual impairments are common in very preterm/very-low-birthweight (VP/VLBW) populations, but their specific nature and impact on cognitive function require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate visual sensory and perceptive functions in VP/VLBW children.
  • To determine the relationship between visual dysfunctions and intelligence in this cohort.
  • To explore the interrelations between visual sensory and perceptive abilities.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 116 VP/VLBW children and 73 term-born controls underwent comprehensive visual assessments.
  • Visual sensory functions included acuity, visual field, contrast, color, and stereovision.
  • Perceptive functions were evaluated using visual coherence and non-motor aspects of the Developmental Test of Visual Perception, alongside intelligence tests (VIQ, PIQ).

Main Results:

  • VP/VLBW children exhibited significantly reduced visual acuity, visual field, and stereovision compared to term-born controls.
  • VP/VLBW children demonstrated weaker performance in static visual coherence and Position in Space, independent of sensory deficits.
  • Lower Verbal IQ (VIQ) and Performance IQ (PIQ) were observed in VP/VLBW children, with perceptive deficits accounting for 13% of VIQ variance and 35% of PIQ variance.

Conclusions:

  • Visual sensory and perceptive dysfunctions are prevalent in VP/VLBW children and largely independent.
  • Visual perceptive deficits are moderately associated with PIQ and weakly with VIQ in this population.
  • These findings highlight the importance of addressing visual development in the neurocognitive outcomes of VP/VLBW children.
Abstract

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