The influence of motor function on processing speed in preterm and term-born children

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Motor Control

Background:

• Preterm birth can impact neurodevelopmental outcomes.
• Motor function and cognitive processing speed are crucial for development.
• Understanding their relationship in preterm individuals is important.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the link between motor function and processing speed in adolescents born preterm.
• To assess the influence of motor cortex excitability and functional motor skills on processing speed tasks.
• To compare processing speed between preterm and term-born adolescents.

Main Methods:

• 145 adolescents (25-41 weeks gestational age) performed processing speed tasks with varying motor demands.
• Motor cortex excitability and functional motor skills were evaluated.
• Performance differences between preterm and term-born groups were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Performance on motor-demanding tasks was affected by gestational age, corticomotor excitability, and motor function in preterm children.
• No significant differences in non-motor processing speed tasks were found between preterm and term-born groups.
• Timed motor components may confound processing speed measures.

Conclusions:

• Motor function significantly influences processing speed in preterm adolescents, particularly in tasks with motoric demands.
• Non-motor processing speed appears unaffected in this preterm cohort.
• Future assessments of processing speed should consider potential motor confounds.