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Visuospatial working memory of children and adults born very preterm and/or very low birth weight
Lianne J Woodward1,2, L John Horwood3, Brian A Darlow4
1Canterbury Child Development Research Group, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. lianne.woodward@canterbury.ac.nz.
Insights
Children and adults born very preterm (VPT) or with very low birth weight (VLBW) exhibit poorer visuospatial working memory (WM). These deficits persist into adulthood, impacting educational and occupational success.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Very preterm (VPT) birth and very low birth weight (VLBW) are associated with neurodevelopmental challenges.
- Understanding the long-term cognitive impact, specifically visuospatial working memory (WM), is crucial for VPT/VLBW survivors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare visuospatial WM performance in children and adults born VPT/VLBW versus full-term (FT) peers.
- To determine the nature and severity of WM impairments and their association with later life functioning.
Main Methods:
- Two prospective cohort studies involved VPT/VLBW and FT individuals assessed at ages 12 (children) and 28 (adults).
- Visuospatial WM was evaluated using a computerized task with varying spans and difficulty levels.
Main Results:
- VPT/VLBW children and adults demonstrated significantly poorer visuospatial WM compared to FT controls.
- Performance was less accurate, slower, and less efficient, particularly with increased task complexity (Cohen's d = 0.27-0.51).
- WM deficits were consistently observed across childhood and adulthood and linked to lower educational and occupational achievement.
Conclusions:
- Visuospatial WM impairments are a persistent consequence of VPT/VLBW, extending into adulthood.
- These ongoing cognitive difficulties raise concerns for the adaptive functioning and life-course opportunities of VPT survivors.
Background:
This paper examines the visuospatial working memory (WM) performance of children and adults born very preterm (VPT) and/or very low birth weight (VLBW) relative to their full-term (FT)-born peers. Of interest was the nature and severity of observed impairments, as well associations with educational/occupational functioning at each age point.
Methods:
Participants were drawn from two prospective cohort studies: (1) a regional cohort of 110 VPT (<32 weeks' gestation and <1500 g) and 113 FT born children assessed at age 12 years; (2) a national cohort of 229 VLBW (<1500 g) and 100 FT born adults assessed at age 28 years. Visuospatial WM was assessed using a four-span/difficulty-level computerized task.
Results:
Both children and adults born VPT/VLBW had poorer visuospatial WM than FT controls, with their performance less accurate, slower (correct trials), and less efficient with increasing task difficulty (Cohen's d = 0.27-0.51; p < 0.05). Adults had better visuospatial WM than children, but between-group differences were highly similar across ages, before and after adjustment for confounding social background and individual factors. Poorer WM was associated with lower levels of educational and occupational/socioeconomic achievement.
Conclusions:
Visuospatial WM difficulties persist into adulthood raising concerns for the longer-term cognitive and adaptive functioning of VPT survivors.
Impact:
Both children and adults born very preterm have poorer visuospatial working memory than their term-born peers. They are less accurate, take longer to respond correctly and are less efficient, with test performance declining with increasing cognitive demand. Similar differences in visuospatial working memory are observed between VPT/VLBW and full-term individuals during both childhood and adulthood, with these differences remaining even after covariate adjustment. Individuals with poorer visuospatial working memory have lower levels of educational achievement and occupational/socioeconomic success. Visuospatial working memory difficulties persist into adulthood and appear to continue to impact everyday functioning and life-course opportunities.
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