Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 27, 2026

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance
09:01

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance

Published on: May 7, 2014

10.5K

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

Merle J Marek1, Dieter Wolke2, Christian Sorg3

  • 1Psychological Methods and Statistics, Department of Psychology, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Germany.

Neuroimage. Clinical
|January 25, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Individuals born very preterm (<32 weeks gestation) show lasting deficits in cognitive control and reduced brain network integration into adulthood. These findings highlight the need for continued support for very preterm individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Very preterm (VPT) birth (<32 weeks gestation) poses risks for long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.
  • Cognitive control and brain network topology are crucial for adaptive functioning.
  • Longitudinal studies are essential to understand the lasting impacts of VPT birth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the long-term effects of VPT birth on cognitive control and structural brain network topology at 26 years of age.
  • To examine brain-behavior associations between cognitive control and brain network characteristics in VPT and full-term (FT) individuals.
  • To identify potential targets for intervention to mitigate neurodevelopmental impacts of preterm birth.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Bavarian Longitudinal Study (BLS) including 61 VPT and 79 FT individuals.
  • Assessed cognitive control using multi-group confirmatory factor analysis.
  • Analyzed structural brain network topology via diffusion-weighted MRI, tractography, and graph-theoretic analysis.

Main Results:

  • Full-term individuals scored significantly higher in cognitive control speed compared to the very preterm group (0.742 SD difference, p=0.001).
  • The very preterm group exhibited reduced structural network integration, evidenced by lower global efficiency and average degree.
  • No significant group differences were found in network segregation (clustering coefficient).

Conclusions:

  • Very preterm birth is associated with persistent cognitive control deficits and impaired structural brain network integration in adulthood.
  • Structural brain network characteristics were not significantly linked to cognitive control abilities in this cohort.
  • Findings emphasize the necessity of ongoing support and interventions for individuals born very preterm to address lasting neurodevelopmental consequences.

Keywords:
Cognitive controlGraph theoryIntegration and segregationStructural connectomeStructural equation modellingVery preterm birth

More Related Videos

Studying the Integration of Adult-born Neurons09:00

Studying the Integration of Adult-born Neurons

Published on: March 25, 2011

14.3K
A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting14:43

A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting

Published on: January 12, 2018

12.5K

Related Concept Videos

The Born-Haber Cycle02:44

The Born-Haber Cycle

Lattice Energy 
25.2K
Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition01:24

Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition

A revisionist approach to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has brought new insights that challenge and reinterpret his established ideas. Piaget proposed that the formal operational stage, emerging in adolescence, represents the culmination of cognitive maturity. During this stage, individuals are said to develop abstract thinking, engage in systematic problem-solving, and show a form of egocentrism, believing others are as preoccupied with their behavior as they are...
297
Cognitive Dissonance01:38

Cognitive Dissonance

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
36.8K
Protein Networks02:26

Protein Networks

An organism can have thousands of different proteins, and these proteins must cooperate to ensure the health of an organism. Proteins bind to other proteins and form complexes to carry out their functions. Many proteins interact with multiple other proteins creating a complex network of protein interactions.
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
4.5K
Network Covalent Solids02:18

Network Covalent Solids

Network covalent solids contain a three-dimensional network of covalently bonded atoms as found in the crystal structures of nonmetals like diamond, graphite, silicon, and some covalent compounds, such as silicon dioxide (sand) and silicon carbide (carborundum, the abrasive on sandpaper). Many minerals have networks of covalent bonds.
To break or to melt a covalent network solid, covalent bonds must be broken. Because covalent bonds are relatively strong, covalent network solids are typically...
16.1K
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
750