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Published on: January 7, 2018
Very low birth weight is associated with brain structure abnormalities and cognitive function impairments: A
Fereshteh Farajdokht1, Saeed Sadigh-Eteghad1, Reza Dehghani2
1Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Insights
Very low birth weight (VLBW) is linked to cognitive problems and brain abnormalities. Early assessment of neurodevelopment in VLBW children is crucial for timely intervention and support.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Increasing survival rates of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants necessitate understanding long-term neurocognitive outcomes.
- VLBW infants face heightened risks for structural brain abnormalities and neurocognitive deficits.
- A comprehensive understanding of VLBW's impact on brain structure and function is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the association between very low birth weight and cognitive function.
- To investigate the relationship between very low birth weight and brain structure abnormalities.
- To synthesize current evidence on the long-term neurodevelopmental consequences of VLBW.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2000 - January 2015).
- Inclusion criteria focused on studies examining VLBW's association with cognitive function and brain structure.
- Analysis of 44 eligible studies, including follow-up, cohort, and longitudinal designs.
Main Results:
- A positive association was identified between very low birth weight and cognitive impairments.
- Evidence indicates a link between VLBW and structural abnormalities in the brain.
- The review highlights significant neurodevelopmental challenges in children born with VLBW.
Conclusions:
- Very low birth weight is significantly related to cognitive deficits and brain structure anomalies.
- Findings underscore the critical need for early neurodevelopmental assessments in VLBW infants.
- Timely identification and tailored support are vital for children affected by VLBW.
Abstract:
Very low birth weight (VLBW) children are at risk of structural brain abnormalities and neurocognitive deficits. Since survival rate of the very low birth weight infants has increased over the past decade, a better understanding of the long-term neurocognitive outcomes is needed. The present systematic review investigated the association between VLBW and cognitive function as well as brain structure. PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched up from January 2000 to January 2015. The study was restricted to the articles that were about VLBW and its association with cognitive function and brain structure. The initial search yielded 721 articles. There were 44 studies eligible for inclusion after applying the exclusion criteria: 24 follow-up, 14 cohort, and 6 longitudinal studies. Based on this systematic review, we suggest that VLBW is positively related to several cognitive problems and brain structure abnormalities. These findings provide evidence about the importance of early assessment of cognitive development and brain structure to identify at-risk children and provide their specific requirements as early as possible.
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