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Updated: Dec 31, 2025
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Body composition and neuromotor development in the year after NICU discharge in premature infants
Dan M Cooper1, Gay L Girolami2, Brenda Kepes3
1Pediatric Exercise and Genomics Research Center, UC Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA. dcooper@hs.uci.edu.
Insights
Neuromotor development in prematurely born infants is linked to lean body mass (LBM). While caregiver-led motor activities did not impact LBM, further research is needed on their influence on growth and development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Biology
- Neonatology
Background:
- Prematurely born infants exhibit unique developmental trajectories.
- Understanding factors influencing neuromotor development and body composition is crucial for this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between neuromotor development and body composition in the first year of life for prematurely born infants.
- To determine if enhanced motor activity, provided by caregivers, influences these parameters.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 99 prematurely born infants (27 ± 1.8 weeks gestation) were randomized into a comparison or exercise group.
- The exercise group received daily caregiver-led motor activities for 15-20 minutes.
- Assessments included body composition (lean body mass, fat mass), growth/inflammation biomarkers, and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) at one year.
Main Results:
- Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) scores at one year positively correlated with lean body mass (LBM) (r=0.32, p<0.001) in the overall cohort.
- Lean body mass (LBM) significantly increased (~3685g, p<0.001) over the year.
- Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) correlated with LBM (r=0.36, p=0.002), and IL-1RA (inflammatory biomarker) decreased (-75%, p<0.0125).
- Females exhibited significantly lower LBM and bone mineral density, and higher IGF-1 at one year.
Conclusions:
- An association exists between neuromotor development and LBM, suggesting motor activity's potential role.
- The specific caregiver-led intervention did not demonstrate a significant effect on the studied outcomes.
- Further investigation is required to understand the impact of motor activities on growth mediators, neuromotor development, sexual dimorphism, and body composition in preterm infants.
Background:
Hypothesis: neuromotor development correlates to body composition over the first year of life in prematurely born infants and can be influenced by enhancing motor activity.
Methods:
Forty-six female and 53 male infants [27 ± 1.8 (sd) weeks] randomized to comparison or exercise group (caregiver provided 15-20 min daily of developmentally appropriate motor activities) completed the year-long study. Body composition [lean body and fat mass (LBM, FM)], growth/inflammation predictive biomarkers, and Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) were assessed.
Results:
AIMS at 1 year correlated with LBM (r = 0.32, p < 0.001) in the whole cohort. However, there was no effect of the intervention. LBM increased by ~3685 g (p < 0.001)); insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was correlated with LBM (r = 0.36, p = 0.002). IL-1RA (an inflammatory biomarker) decreased (-75%, p < 0.0125). LBM and bone mineral density were significantly lower and IGF-1 higher in the females at 1 year.
Conclusions:
We found an association between neuromotor development and LBM suggesting that motor activity may influence LBM. Our particular intervention was ineffective. Whether activities provided largely by caregivers to enhance motor activity in prematurely born infants can affect the interrelated (1) balance of growth and inflammation mediators, (2) neuromotor development, (3) sexual dimorphism, and/or (4) body composition early in life remains unknown.
