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Cerebellar-dependent associative learning is impaired in very preterm born children and young adults

Liliane Tran1, Britta M Huening2,3, Olaf Kaiser1

  • 1Department of Paediatrics I, Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care, Paediatric Neurology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.

Scientific Reports
|December 23, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Very preterm birth impairs cerebellar function, leading to motor and cognitive deficits. This study used eyeblink conditioning to demonstrate long-term cerebellar dysfunction in preterm individuals, even without focal lesions.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Cerebellar Research

Background:

  • Preterm birth is linked to cerebellar developmental disorders, affecting motor and cognitive functions.
  • Experimental evidence for cerebellar dysfunction in preterm individuals is limited.
  • Classical eyeblink conditioning serves as a sensitive marker for cerebellar function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cerebellar dysfunction in adults and children born very preterm using eyeblink conditioning.
  • To compare learning rates and conditioned response acquisition between preterm and term-born individuals.
  • To explore the impact of prematurity on cerebellar integrity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized standard delay eyeblink conditioning in 20 adults and 32 preschool children born very preterm.
  • Excluded focal cerebellar lesions via structural magnetic resonance imaging.
  • Compared performance with matched healthy term-born controls, including retesting subgroups.

Main Results:

  • Preterm subjects demonstrated significantly fewer conditioned responses (CR) compared to controls.
  • Preterm individuals exhibited slower learning rates during conditioning.
  • Findings suggest impaired cerebellar function in preterm individuals, irrespective of focal lesions.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm birth negatively impacts cerebellar function long-term, even without visible lesions.
  • Results support the hypothesis that prematurity affects cerebellar integrity.
  • Extra-cerebellar factors may also contribute to observed deficits.

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