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Preterm Cognitive Function Into Adulthood

Linda D Breeman1, Julia Jaekel2, Nicole Baumann1

  • 1Department of Psychology, and.

Pediatrics
|August 12, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Very preterm (VP) and very low birth weight (VLBW) individuals experience more stable cognitive issues from early childhood into adulthood. Cognitive problems in VP/VLBW children can be diagnosed as early as 20 months.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Very preterm (VP; <32 weeks gestation) and very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500g) births are associated with lifelong cognitive impairments.
  • Longitudinal stability and predictability of cognitive function in VP/VLBW individuals from childhood to adulthood remain unclear compared to term-born peers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the stability of cognitive function from childhood to adulthood in very preterm/very low birth weight individuals.
  • To determine the predictability of adult cognitive function from early childhood assessments in this cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, geographically defined cohort study (Bavarian Longitudinal Study) of 260 VP/VLBW and 229 term-born individuals.
  • Cognitive function assessed using developmental and IQ tests at multiple time points from 5 months to 26 years of age.

Main Results:

  • VP/VLBW individuals consistently showed lower IQ scores than term-born controls, even after excluding those with severe impairment.
  • Cognitive IQ scores demonstrated greater stability over time in VP/VLBW individuals compared to term-born controls, though this difference diminished when severe impairment was excluded.
  • Adult IQ was predictable with fair certainty (r > 0.50) from 20 months for VP/VLBW individuals and from 6 years for term-born individuals.

Conclusions:

  • Cognitive problems are more prevalent and relatively stable from early childhood into adulthood for VP/VLBW individuals.
  • Early diagnosis of cognitive risk in VP/VLBW children is possible by 20 months of age.
  • Cognitive follow-up at 2 years is recommended for timely planning of support services for children at risk.
Abstract

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