Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 30, 2025

Application of an Amplitude-integrated EEG Monitor Cerebral Function Monitor to Neonates
05:58

Application of an Amplitude-integrated EEG Monitor Cerebral Function Monitor to Neonates

Published on: September 6, 2017

39.2K

Latent class growth analysis identified different trajectories in cognitive development of extremely low birthweight

Anu Haavisto1,2, Liisa Klenberg3, Viena Tommiska4

  • 1Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland anu.haavisto@helsinki.fi.

BMJ Paediatrics Open
|September 2, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Cognitive trajectories in extremely low birthweight (ELBW) children vary; those with average or below-average scores at age 5 showed declines by age 11. Neonatal complications and lower maternal education are risk factors for lower intelligence in ELBW children.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Extremely low birthweight (ELBW) children exhibit significant individual variation in cognitive development.
  • Longitudinal studies indicate diverse developmental trajectories in this population.
  • Understanding these trajectories is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize distinct cognitive developmental trajectories in extremely low birthweight (ELBW) children from preschool to preteen age.
  • To identify factors influencing cognitive development in ELBW children.
  • To provide insights for clinical management of ELBW individuals.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective neurocognitive follow-up study of 115 extremely low birthweight (ELBW) children.
  • Cognitive assessments using standardized intelligence tests at median ages of 5.0 and 11.3 years.
  • Latent class growth analysis to identify developmental trajectories.

Main Results:

  • Three distinct cognitive trajectories were identified in ELBW children.
  • Children with average or below-average intelligence at age 5 experienced significant score decreases by age 11.
  • Above-average intelligence remained stable, while neonatal complications and maternal education predicted lower intelligence at follow-up.

Conclusions:

  • Extremely low birthweight (ELBW) children form a heterogeneous group with identifiable cognitive trajectories.
  • Cognitive deterioration is more likely in ELBW children with initially average or below-average performance.
  • Neonatal complications and lower maternal education are significant risk factors for poorer cognitive outcomes in ELBW children.
Abstract

Keywords:
NeonatologyNeurologyPsychology

More Related Videos

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

86.3K
Quantifying Learning in Young Infants: Tracking Leg Actions During a Discovery-learning Task11:18

Quantifying Learning in Young Infants: Tracking Leg Actions During a Discovery-learning Task

Published on: June 1, 2015

10.7K

Related Concept Videos

The Nativist Approach01:21

The Nativist Approach

The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to...
119
Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...
135
Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development01:14

Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development

The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
Exploration...
737
Regression Toward the Mean01:52

Regression Toward the Mean

Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when...
6.4K
Cognitive Development During Adulthood01:30

Cognitive Development During Adulthood

Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
224
Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
188