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Adult sensory capacities as a function of birth risk factors
1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Insights
Birth risk factors, like long labor and low birth weight, can impact sensory abilities in young adults. Vision appears more affected than hearing, with twinning having the largest impact.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Birth risk factors are potential contributors to long-term health outcomes.
- Sensory capacities are crucial for development and daily functioning.
- The impact of birth stressors on sensory systems requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between nine birth risk factors and six sensory capacities in young adults.
- To determine which birth risk factors most significantly impact sensory function.
- To explore potential differences in vulnerability between visual and auditory systems.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 1245 young adults (mean age 19.9 years) was assessed.
- Nine birth risk factors were analyzed, including prolonged labor, breech birth, and low birth weight.
- Six sensory capacities were evaluated: visual acuity, stereopsis, color discrimination, hearing, speech recognition, and sound localization.
Main Results:
- Mild birth stressors were strongly linked to reduced visual acuity and stereoscopic discrimination.
- Birth stressors had a milder predictive effect on other sensory measures.
- Twinning demonstrated the most substantial impact on overall sensory function, often co-occurring with other complications.
Conclusions:
- Birth stress, even mild, can negatively affect sensory development, particularly vision.
- The visual system may be more susceptible to birth-related stressors than the auditory system.
- Twinning represents a significant risk factor for impaired sensory capacity in young adulthood.
Abstract:
This study examined the relationship between birth risk factors and sensory capacity in 1245 young adults (mean age = 19.9 years). Nine birth risk factors were included (long labour, breech birth, breathing difficulty, instrument delivery, Caesarian delivery, multiple birth, premature birth, low birth weight, and high-risk birth order) and six sensory capacities were tested (Snellen visual acuity, stereopsis, color discrimination, pure-tone hearing, speech recognition, and sound localization). Mild birth stressors were strongly predictive of reduced visual acuity and stereoscopic discrimination, and mildly predictive for the other sensory measures. The fact that vision was more vulnerable to the effects of birth stress than audition may be due to the slower maturation of the visual system. Of the birth stressors examined, twinning was found to have the largest effect on sensory function, possibly because it often occurs conjointly with other birth stressors such as low birth weight, breech presentation, and breathing difficulty and may involve the use of birthing instruments such as forceps.