Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 26, 2026
Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol
Published on: February 18, 2012
Early executive function differences in infants born moderate-to-late preterm
Amanda S Hodel1, Kate L Senich1, Claire Jokinen1
1Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, 51 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Insights
Infants born moderate-to-late preterm show subtle cognitive differences by 9 months, impacting memory and early executive function skills. Lower gestational age correlates with poorer performance, suggesting long-term developmental implications.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neonatal Research
Background:
- Individuals born very preterm (<32 weeks gestation) exhibit altered prefrontal cortex development and executive function (EF) skills.
- Moderate-to-late preterm (PT; 32-36 weeks gestation) infants show fewer EF discrepancies, but early cognitive precursors are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether precursor skills to executive function, including complex attention, memory, and inhibition, are altered in moderate-to-late preterm infants at 9 months corrected age.
- To determine if subtle cognitive differences emerge in infancy, potentially influencing later executive function development.
Main Methods:
- Assessed 9-month-old healthy infants born moderate-to-late preterm and full-term peers.
- Utilized habituation procedures to evaluate memory.
- Administered early executive function tasks assessing complex attention, memory, and inhibition.
Main Results:
- Moderate-to-late preterm infants demonstrated poorer memory performance post-habituation compared to full-term infants.
- Lower gestational age was significantly associated with poorer performance on five out of six early executive function tasks.
- Despite normal Bayley scores and no group differences in processing speed, subtle cognitive alterations were observed.
Conclusions:
- Moderate-to-late preterm infants exhibit subtle alterations in cognitive skills, particularly memory and inhibition, by 9 months corrected age.
- These early cognitive differences, linked to gestational age, may predispose individuals to long-term executive function challenges.
- Findings highlight the importance of early detection and intervention for cognitive development in preterm infants.
Abstract:
Individuals who are born very preterm (<32weeks gestation) show differential development of prefrontal cortex structure, function, and dependent behaviors, including executive function (EF) skills, beginning during late infancy and extending into adulthood. Preschool-aged children born moderate-to-late preterm (PT; 32-36weeks gestation) show smaller discrepancies in EF development, but it is unclear whether these differences first emerge during the early childhood years, when EF is rapidly developing, or if they arise from alterations in complex cognitive skills measurable in late infancy. In the current study, we examined whether differences in complex attention, memory, and inhibition skills (precursor skills to EF) are altered in healthy infants born moderate-to-late PT at 9-months corrected age. Infants born PT demonstrated poorer memory at test following habituation than their full-term peers. Furthermore, lower gestational age at birth was associated with poorer performance on five of the six early EF tasks. Results indicate that even in the context of low medical and environmental risk, performance on the Bayley within the normal range, and no group-level differences in processing speed, infants born moderate-to-late PT show subtle alterations in cognitive skills presumed to be dependent on prefrontal cortex by 9-months of age, likely setting the stage for long-term differences in EF development.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Information Processing Approach
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
01:21The Nativist Approach