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Updated: Mar 7, 2026
P50 Sensory Gating in Infants
Published on: December 26, 2013
Sensory modulation in preterm children: Theoretical perspective and systematic review
Tinka Bröring1, Kim J Oostrom1, Harrie N Lafeber2
1Department of Medical Psychology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Preterm infants often experience sensory modulation problems, impacting their neurodevelopment. These issues are linked to white matter brain injury and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stays, affecting cognitive and behavioral outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Occupational Therapy
Background:
- Preterm birth is associated with neurodevelopmental challenges, often attributed to white matter damage and NICU environmental factors.
- Cerebral white matter damage is linked to sensory processing deficits, including registration, integration, and modulation.
- Sensory modulation problems in preterm children remain under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize existing evidence on sensory modulation problems in preterm infants and children.
- To investigate the association between sensory modulation issues and neurocognitive/behavioral outcomes in this population.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
- Literature search conducted across PubMed, EMBASE.com, and PsycINFO.
- Inclusion criteria focused on studies assessing sensory modulation in preterm children or those with prematurity as a risk factor.
Main Results:
- Eighteen studies were included in the review.
- Evidence supports the existence of sensory modulation problems in preterm children.
- The characteristics and severity of these problems varied significantly across studies, despite prematurity being a common factor.
Conclusions:
- Sensory modulation problems are crucial for understanding neurocognitive and behavioral sequelae in preterm children.
- A potential dose-response relationship exists between white matter brain injury, NICU length of stay, and sensory modulation problems.
Background:
Neurodevelopmental sequelae in preterm born children are generally considered to result from cerebral white matter damage and noxious effects of environmental factors in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Cerebral white matter damage is associated with sensory processing problems in terms of registration, integration and modulation. However, research into sensory processing problems and, in particular, sensory modulation problems, is scarce in preterm children.
Aim:
This review aims to integrate available evidence on sensory modulation problems in preterm infants and children (<37 weeks of gestation) and their association with neurocognitive and behavioral problems.
Method:
Relevant studies were extracted from PubMed, EMBASE.com and PsycINFO following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Selection criteria included assessment of sensory modulation in preterm born children (<37 weeks of gestation) or with prematurity as a risk factor.
Results:
Eighteen studies were included. Results of this review support the presence of sensory modulation problems in preterm children. Although prematurity may distort various aspects of sensory modulation, the nature and severity of sensory modulation problems differ widely between studies.
Conclusions:
Sensory modulation problems may play a key role in understanding neurocognitive and behavioral sequelae in preterm children. Some support is found for a dose-response relationship between both white matter brain injury and length of NICU stay and sensory modulation problems.
