Associations Between Infant Motor Behaviour and Cognitive Functioning at Age 4-5

We investigated the relation between infant motor behaviour and cognitive functioning at 4-5 years of age.

Based on a previous infancy assessment, we invited 369 children with atypical and 334 children with typical infant neurodevelopment at age 4-5. With multivariable regression, we investigated the association between infant motor behaviour, as measured with the Infant Motor Profile (IMP), and cognitive functioning, as measured with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, whereas controlling for perinatal and demographic variables and correcting for multiple testing.

We assessed 518 children (74% of invited children, 53% male, median gestational age 39 weeks [29-42]). Atypical IMP total ratings were significantly related to reduced global, verbal, visual-spatial, reasoning and processing speed abilities at age 4-5 (B = -5.4 to -7.5). Atypical IMP variation was significantly related to reduced reasoning abilities (B = -5.1) and atypical IMP performance was significantly associated with reduced working memory (B = -4.4) and processing speed (B = -5.8).

Infant motor behaviour is associated with cognitive abilities at age 4-5. This finding suggests that infant motor behaviour could potentially serve as an early indicator for later cognitive functioning.