Face Processing in Prematurely Born Individuals-A Systematic Review

Prematurely born individuals are at risk for developing socio-emotional difficulties and psychopathologies such as autism spectrum disorder. Particular difficulties processing social information conveyed by the face may underlie these vulnerabilities.

This comprehensive review provides an overview of 27 studies published between 2000 and mid-2022 concerning face processing in individuals born preterm and/or born with low birth weight across different age ranges, paradigms, and outcome measures. The results were interpreted across different developmental stages.

Behavioural studies indicated that prematurity is associated with poorer facial identity and expression processing compared to term-born controls, especially for negative emotions. Structural alterations and delayed maturation in key neural face processing structures could explain these findings. Neuroimaging also revealed functional atypicalities, which may either be rooted in the structural alterations or may partly compensate for the delayed maturation.

The results suggest that altered face processing may be associated with an increased risk of developing psychopathologies in individuals born prematurely. Future studies should investigate the preterm behavioural phenotype and the potential need for face processing rehabilitation programs.