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Impaired prospective memory but intact episodic memory in intellectually average 7- to 9-year-olds born very preterm

Ruth M Ford1, Sarah Griffiths2, Kerryn Neulinger2

  • 1a Department of Psychology , Anglia Ruskin University , Cambridge , UK.

Child Neuropsychology : a Journal on Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence
|August 20, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Children born very preterm or with very low birth weight show deficits in episodic and prospective memory. Prospective memory, specifically, appears uniquely vulnerable in these children, correlating with neonatal illness severity.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Episodic memory (EM) and prospective memory (PM) are crucial for daily functioning.
  • Limited research exists on EM and PM in children born very preterm (VP) or with very low birth weight (VLBW).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate and compare episodic memory and prospective memory in school-aged children born VP/VLBW and full-term controls.
  • To investigate the relationship between memory performance, cognitive abilities (verbal, non-verbal, executive function, theory of mind), and neonatal illness severity in VP/VLBW children.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study involving 7- to 9-year-old children born VP (≤ 32 weeks) and/or VLBW (< 1500g) and matched full-term controls.
  • Assessment of episodic memory, prospective memory, verbal and non-verbal abilities, executive function, and theory of mind.
  • Correlation analysis between memory measures, cognitive functions, and neonatal illness severity within the VP/VLBW group.

Main Results:

  • VP/VLBW children performed significantly worse than full-term controls on overall memory tasks, with a notable deficit in prospective memory.
  • Within the VP/VLBW group, prospective memory, verbal ability, and working memory showed significant negative correlations with neonatal illness severity.
  • Prospective memory performance was independent of episodic memory and other cognitive functions.

Conclusions:

  • Children born very preterm or with very low birth weight exhibit significant challenges in prospective memory.
  • Prospective memory may represent a specific area of vulnerability for VP/VLBW children, influenced by the severity of neonatal illness.
  • Further research is needed to understand and support prospective memory development in this population.

Keywords:
Episodic memoryPreterm birthPreterm childrenProspective memoryVery low birth weight

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