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Cognitive outcomes in children and adolescents born very preterm: a meta-analysis

Christopher R Brydges1,2, Jasmin K Landes1, Corinne L Reid3

  • 1School of Psychology and Exercise Science, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia.

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|February 18, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Children born very preterm experience significant cognitive deficits in intelligence, executive functioning, and processing speed compared to term-born peers. These effects, while substantial, are influenced by gestational age and birthweight in younger children.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Very preterm birth (before 32 weeks' gestation) is a major concern in neonatal care.
  • Cognitive development in children born very preterm requires ongoing investigation.
  • Understanding long-term cognitive outcomes is crucial for intervention and support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate the association between very preterm birth and cognitive functions including intelligence, executive functioning, and processing speed.
  • To examine the impact of gestational age, birthweight, and age at assessment on these cognitive outcomes.
  • To synthesize evidence from multiple studies through a meta-analysis.

Main Methods:

  • Meta-analysis of 60 studies including 6163 very preterm infants and 5471 term-born controls.
  • Inclusion criteria: born <32 weeks' gestation, aged 4-17 years, age-matched controls, standardized cognitive measures.
  • Exclusion criteria: restrictions based on task performance.

Main Results:

  • Very preterm children scored significantly lower than controls: 0.82 SDs in intelligence, 0.51 SDs in executive functioning, and 0.49 SDs in processing speed.
  • Gestational age and birthweight were associated with effect size for intelligence and executive functioning in younger children.
  • Age at assessment did not show an association with study effect size.

Conclusions:

  • Children born very preterm exhibit medium to large deficits in intelligence, executive functioning, and processing speed.
  • These cognitive differences persist throughout childhood and adolescence.
  • Findings highlight the need for targeted support for very preterm infants.
Abstract

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