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Updated: Jul 18, 2025

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

Published on: August 25, 2014

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Divergent neurodevelopmental profiles of very-low-birth-weight infants

Reina Ogata1, Kyoko Watanabe2, Pin Fee Chong3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, National Hospital Organization Kokura Medical Center, Kitakyushu, 802-8533, Japan.

Pediatric Research
|August 25, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) exhibit diverse neurodevelopmental trajectories up to age six. Longitudinal tracking reveals distinct risk factors for autism spectrum disorder/attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder versus cerebral palsy in VLBWIs.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Advanced perinatal care has improved survival rates for preterm infants.
  • Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the neurodevelopmental trajectories of VLBWIs from age 3 to 6 years.
  • To identify associations between perinatal factors, neurodevelopmental outcomes, and neurological comorbidities.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 124 VLBWIs born between 2007-2015 was studied.
  • Data collected included perinatal information, developmental/intelligence quotients (DQ/IQ) at ages 3 and 6, and neurological comorbidities.
  • Neuroimaging (MRI) was used to assess brain lesions in a subset of participants.

Main Results:

  • Of 58 assessed VLBWIs, 15 (26%) had DQ/IQ <75 at age 6.
  • Between ages 3 and 6, 36% showed a DQ/IQ decrease (≤-10), while 9% showed an increase (≥+10).
  • VLBWIs with autism spectrum disorder/attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ASD/ADHD) displayed varied DQ/IQ changes, whereas those with cerebral palsy had significantly lower DQ scores.

Conclusions:

  • VLBWIs demonstrate a wide range of neurodevelopmental outcomes by age 6.
  • Distinct perinatal risks contribute to the development of ASD/ADHD compared to cerebral palsy and epilepsy in VLBWIs.
  • Perinatal brain injury is linked to developmental delay, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy, but not specifically to ASD or ADHD at age 6.
Abstract

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