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Behaviour problems and cortisol levels in very-low-birth-weight children

Marie Wadsby1, Nina Nelson, Fredrik Ingemansson

  • 1Marie Wadsby, Associate Professor, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University , Sweden.

Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
|May 8, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Children born with very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) show more behavioral issues and lower cortisol levels than normal-birth-weight (NBW) peers. These differences persist into childhood, suggesting potential hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis alterations.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Behavioral Neuroscience

Background:

  • Children born with very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) exhibit varied developmental outcomes.
  • Previous research suggests potential differences in stress hormone levels between VLBW and normal-birth-weight (NBW) children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare behavioral problems and cortisol levels in VLBW and NBW children at ages 7 and 9.
  • To investigate the relationship between behavior and cortisol in these groups.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the Child Behavior Checklist for behavioral assessment.
  • Measured cortisol rhythm via saliva samples across multiple time points over two days.

Main Results:

  • VLBW children demonstrated more behavioral problems, particularly social and attention issues, though within normal ranges.
  • VLBW children exhibited lower cortisol levels at both 7 and 9 years of age.
  • No significant association was found between behavioral patterns and cortisol levels.

Conclusions:

  • VLBW children show a higher prevalence of behavioral problems compared to NBW children, with both groups scoring within normative limits.
  • VLBW children exhibit a down-regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function, indicated by lower cortisol levels.

Keywords:
Behaviour problemsFollow-up studyStress hormoneVery-low-birth-weight

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