Structural network topology and cognitive control in very preterm born young adults

This study investigates the long-term effects of very preterm (VPT) birth (<32 weeks of gestation) on cognitive control and structural brain network topology. Data were obtained from 61 very VPT and 79 full term (FT) individuals aged 26 years, who participated in the prospective Bavarian Longitudinal Study since birth (BLS, https://www.bayerische-entwicklungsstudie.de). Cognitive control ability was estimated through a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, while the structural topology of the cognitive control brain network was analysed through diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, tractography, and graph-theoretic analysis. Brain-behaviour associations were further examined using structural equation modelling. Consistent with expectations, we observed significant group differences in cognitive control, especially in a latent speed of cognitive control factor, with FT individuals scoring 0.742 standard deviations higher than the VPT group (p = 0.001). This was statistically confirmed by a model comparison in the multi-group framework. Additionally, the VPT group exhibited lower structural network integration, as indicated by reduced global efficiency and average degree of the cognitive control brain network. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no group differences in network segregation (average clustering coefficient), and structural network characteristics were not significantly associated with latent cognitive control. These findings indicate cognitive control deficits and reduced structural brain network integration in adulthood for VPT individuals and underscores the need for ongoing support and intervention to mitigate the lasting neurodevelopmental impacts of preterm birth.