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Early Life Neurodevelopment of Infants Across a Wide Gestational Age Range

Peggy H Y Chan1,2, C M Lai2, H S Lam1

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|August 27, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Gestational age (GA) positively impacts infant development. Each extra week of GA slightly improves cognitive, language, and motor skills, with language being most sensitive to prematurity.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Infant Psychology

Background:

  • Neural development is influenced by the in-utero versus ex-utero environment.
  • Gestational age (GA) is a critical factor in brain development and neurodevelopmental outcomes for both preterm and term infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively examine the effects of a wide range of gestational age (GA) on cognitive, language, and motor development.
  • To understand the nuanced impact of GA on various developmental domains in infants.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 454 infants born between 24 and 41 weeks of GA.
  • Assessment of cognitive, language, and motor development using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) from 8 to 30 months of age.
  • Application of linear and logistic mixed-effects models to analyze associations between GA and developmental outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Gestational age (GA) showed a small but significant positive association with all assessed developmental domains (cognitive, language, motor).
  • Each additional week of GA correlated with a 0.6-point increase in cognitive and language scores, and a 0.62-point increase in motor scores on the Bayley-III.
  • An extra week of GA reduced the odds of receptive communication delay by 13% in infants.

Conclusions:

  • Gestational age (GA) has a small but measurable impact on cognitive, language, and motor development across a broad spectrum.
  • Language development, particularly receptive communication, appears most sensitive to the effects of prematurity.
  • Regular monitoring and early language-focused interventions are recommended for preterm and early-term infants.
Abstract

Keywords:
Bayley-IIIneurodevelopmentprematuritypretermterm

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