Neonatal brain abnormalities and memory and learning outcomes at 7 years in children born very preterm

Abstract

Using prospective longitudinal data from 198 very preterm and 70 full term children, this study characterised the memory and learning abilities of very preterm children at 7 years of age in both verbal and visual domains. The relationship between the extent of brain abnormalities on neonatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and memory and learning outcomes at 7 years of age in very preterm children was also investigated. Neonatal MRI scans were qualitatively assessed for global, white-matter, cortical grey-matter, deep grey-matter, and cerebellar abnormalities. Very preterm children performed less well on measures of immediate memory, working memory, long-term memory, and learning compared with term-born controls. Neonatal brain abnormalities, and in particular deep grey-matter abnormality, were associated with poorer memory and learning performance at 7 years in very preterm children. Findings support the importance of cerebral neonatal pathology for predicting later memory and learning function.

Keywords:

• Very preterm
• Gestational age
• Neonatal brain abnormalities
• Memory and learning

We would like to acknowledge the input of the entire VIBeS research team, and all the families who participated in this study. This study was funded by Australia's National Health & Medical Research Council—Project Grants (237117 & 491209), Early Career Award (1012236 to D.T.), Senior Research Fellowship (628371 to P.A.)—National Institutes of Health (HD058056), and the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Program.

We would like to acknowledge the input of the entire VIBeS research team, and all the families who participated in this study. This study was funded by Australia's National Health & Medical Research Council—Project Grants (237117 & 491209), Early Career Award (1012236 to D.T.), Senior Research Fellowship (628371 to P.A.)—National Institutes of Health (HD058056), and the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Program.