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A crucial role for white matter alterations in interference control problems of very preterm children
Jorrit F de Kieviet1, Dirk J Heslenfeld1, Petra J W Pouwels2
1Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Vrije Universiteit (VU) University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Very preterm children exhibit attention and interference control deficits due to white matter abnormalities. These brain differences impact cognitive functions essential for school-age development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Attention problems are common in school-aged children born very preterm (before 32 weeks gestation).
- These deficits significantly impact academic and social development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain abnormalities linked to attention problems in very preterm children.
- To examine the role of white and gray matter during interference control using fMRI-guided diffusion tensor tractography.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-nine very preterm children and 47 term-born controls (mean age ~8.6 years) performed an fMRI-compatible Eriksen Flanker task.
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor tractography were used to assess brain activity and white matter integrity.
Main Results:
- Very preterm children demonstrated poorer interference control, evidenced by slower reaction times.
- While cortical activation patterns were similar, very preterm children showed impaired fractional anisotropy (FA) in critical fiber tracts.
- Reduced FA in these tracts correlated with poorer interference control performance.
Conclusions:
- White matter alterations are a key factor contributing to interference control difficulties in very preterm children.
- These findings highlight the importance of white matter integrity for cognitive development in this population.
Background:
Attention problems are among the most prominent behavioral deficits reported in very preterm children (below 32 wk of gestation) at school age. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the brain abnormalities underlying attention problems in very preterm children by investigating the role of abnormalities in white and gray brain matter during interference control, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-guided probabilistic diffusion tensor tractography.
Methods:
Twenty-nine very preterm children (mean (SD) age: 8.6 (0.3) y), and 47 term controls (mean (SD) age: 8.7 (0.5) y), performed a fMRI version of the Eriksen Flanker task measuring interference control.
Results:
Very preterm children showed slower reaction times than term controls when interfering stimuli were presented, indicating poorer interference control. Very preterm children and term controls did not differ in mean activation of the cortical regions involved in interference control. However, impaired fractional anisotropy (FA) was found in very preterm children in specifically those fiber tracts that innervate the cortical regions involved in interference control. Lower FA was related to poorer interference control in very preterm children.
Conclusion:
White matter alterations have a crucial role in the interference control problems of very preterm children at school age.
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