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Updated: Jul 24, 2026
Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol
Published on: February 18, 2012
Sleep Electroencephalogram in Infants Born Moderate to Late Preterm and Association with Subsequent Neurodevelopment
Soraia Ventura1, Mary Anne Ryan1, Sean R Mathieson1
1Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Insights
Infants born moderate to late preterm (MLP) show altered sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) biomarkers at 4 months, differing from full-term infants. These EEG sleep differences correlate with neurodevelopmental outcomes, suggesting early brain organization variations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Preterm birth is associated with altered neurodevelopmental trajectories.
- Sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns are sensitive indicators of brain maturation and organization.
- Understanding sleep EEG differences in preterm infants can provide insights into early brain development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare sleep EEG patterns between moderate to late preterm (MLP) and full-term infants at 4 months corrected age.
- To investigate the association between sleep EEG features and subsequent neurodevelopmental outcomes in both groups.
Main Methods:
- Sleep EEG was recorded in MLP and full-term infants at 4 months corrected age.
- Sleep macrostructure, spectral power, and coherence were analyzed.
- Neurodevelopment was assessed at 18 months corrected age using the Griffiths III developmental assessment.
Main Results:
- MLP infants exhibited shorter stage N2 sleep duration and altered non-REM (NREM) spectral power (delta 1 and delta 2) compared to full-term infants.
- NREM delta 1 and delta 2 spectral power were positively associated with personal-social-emotional and gross motor development.
- Coherence parameters also showed correlations with Griffiths III subscales.
Conclusions:
- Infants born MLP demonstrate distinct sleep EEG biomarkers at 4 months corrected age compared to full-term infants.
- These findings suggest early differences in brain organization and function in MLP infants.
- Sleep EEG may serve as a potential biomarker for tracking brain maturation and predicting neurodevelopmental trends.
Objective:
To compare electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep patterns among infants born moderate to late preterm (MLP) and full-term and to evaluate the association of sleep EEG findings in both groups with subsequent neurodevelopment.
Study Design:
Infants enrolled at Cork University Maternity Hospital underwent a daytime sleep EEG at 4 months and Griffiths III developmental assessment at 18 months of corrected age. Sleep spindles were manually annotated. Sleep macrostructure (ie, total sleep and sleep stage durations, and latencies to sleep and rapid eye movement [REM]) was assessed. EEG spectral power and coherence were quantified. These features were compared between the groups. Associations between sleep features differing between groups and Griffiths III scores were investigated.
Results:
The mean (SD) gestational ages for infants born MLP (30/59 females) and term (40/96 females) were 34.5 (1.3) and 39.8 (1.2) weeks, respectively. Both groups showed similar sleep spindle features. Infants born MLP had shorter stage N2 sleep duration (MLP: median [IQR] of 2.75 [1.88-4.63]; term-born: 4.50 [2.50-6.50] minutes, P < .001), had higher non-REM (NREM) power on delta 1 (MLP: 702.49 [557.46-840.67] μV2; term-born: 593.34 [449.21-749.36] μV2, P = .011] and delta 2 (MLP: 245.31 [194.17-327.77] μV2, term-born: 215.32 [164.78-283.39] μV2, P = .028) and diverging coherence. NREM delta 1 and 2 spectral power were positively associated with personal-social-emotional development (partial Spearman correlation (partial rs) = 0.25, P = .009 and partial rs = 0.25, P = .011, respectively) and gross motor development (partial rs = 0.21, P = .028 and partial rs = 0.20, P = .036, respectively). Some parameters of intrahemispherical and interhemispherical coherence were also correlated with Griffiths III subscales of development.
Conclusions:
Analyzing multiple sleep EEG features at 4 months corrected age, we identified alterations in sleep biomarkers of infants born MLP compared to those born full term, likely reflecting early differences in brain organization and function and, may indicate divergent trends in brain maturation.
