Executive Function in Children Born Moderate-to-Late Preterm: A Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Developmental Pediatrics
• Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

• Early neurodevelopmental delay is a growing concern for moderate-to-late preterm (MLP) births (32-36 weeks' gestation).
• Cognitive outcomes in school-aged children born MLP are not well understood, particularly regarding executive function (EF).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate executive function (EF) outcomes in school-aged children born MLP compared to term-born children.
• Specifically assessed were attentional control, cognitive flexibility, and goal setting abilities.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published in Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, and Scopus.
• Included studies assessed EF in children aged 6-17 years born MLP with a term-born control group.
• Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed, followed by random effects meta-analyses.

Main Results:

• Twelve studies involving 2348 MLP children and 20,322 controls were analyzed.
• Children born MLP demonstrated poorer overall EF compared to term-born children (SMD = -0.15, P < .0001).
• Similar deficits were observed in attentional control, cognitive flexibility, and goal setting.

Conclusions:

• School-aged children born MLP may face increased executive function (EF) challenges compared to their term-born peers.
• Methodological variations and limited study scope (developed countries) were noted.
• Further research is recommended to explore the functional impact of these EF challenges on academic and socio-emotional development.