Linda D Breeman1, Julia Jaekel2, Nicole Baumann1, Peter Bartmann3, Dieter Wolke4. 1. Department of Psychology, and. 2. Department of Psychology, and Department of Developmental Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; and. 3. Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany. 4. Department of Psychology, and Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom; D.Wolke@warwick.ac.uk.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Very preterm (VP; gestational age <32 weeks) and very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g) births are related to impaired cognitive function across the life span. It is not known how stable cognitive functions are from childhood to adulthood for VP/VLBW compared with term-born individuals and how early adult cognitive function can be predicted. METHODS: The Bavarian Longitudinal Study is a prospective geographically defined cohort study that followed 260 VP/VLBW and 229 term-born individuals from birth to adulthood. Data on cognitive function were assessed with developmental and IQ tests at 5 and 20 months and at 4, 6, 8, and 26 years of age. RESULTS: Across all assessments, VP/VLBW individuals had significantly lower IQ scores than term-born controls, even when individuals with severe cognitive impairment (n = 69) were excluded. IQ scores were found to be more stable over time for VP/VLBW than term-born individuals, yet differences in stability disappeared when individuals with cognitive impairment were excluded. Adult IQ could be predicted with fair certainty (r > 0.50) from age 20 months onward for the whole VP/VLBW sample (n = 260) and from 6 years onward for term-born individuals (n = 229). CONCLUSIONS: VP/VLBW individuals more often suffer from cognitive problems across childhood into adulthood and these problems are relatively stable from early childhood onward. VP/VLBW children's risk for cognitive problems can be reliably diagnosed at the age of 20 months. These findings provide strong support for the timing of cognitive follow-up at age 2 years to plan special support services for children with cognitive problems.
BACKGROUND: Very preterm (VP; gestational age <32 weeks) and very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g) births are related to impaired cognitive function across the life span. It is not known how stable cognitive functions are from childhood to adulthood for VP/VLBW compared with term-born individuals and how early adult cognitive function can be predicted. METHODS: The Bavarian Longitudinal Study is a prospective geographically defined cohort study that followed 260 VP/VLBW and 229 term-born individuals from birth to adulthood. Data on cognitive function were assessed with developmental and IQ tests at 5 and 20 months and at 4, 6, 8, and 26 years of age. RESULTS: Across all assessments, VP/VLBW individuals had significantly lower IQ scores than term-born controls, even when individuals with severe cognitive impairment (n = 69) were excluded. IQ scores were found to be more stable over time for VP/VLBW than term-born individuals, yet differences in stability disappeared when individuals with cognitive impairment were excluded. Adult IQ could be predicted with fair certainty (r > 0.50) from age 20 months onward for the whole VP/VLBW sample (n = 260) and from 6 years onward for term-born individuals (n = 229). CONCLUSIONS: VP/VLBW individuals more often suffer from cognitive problems across childhood into adulthood and these problems are relatively stable from early childhood onward. VP/VLBW children's risk for cognitive problems can be reliably diagnosed at the age of 20 months. These findings provide strong support for the timing of cognitive follow-up at age 2 years to plan special support services for children with cognitive problems.
Authors: Jerry John Nutor; Jaime C Slaughter-Acey; Carmen Giurgescu; Dawn P Misra Journal: MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs Date: 2018 Sep/Oct Impact factor: 1.412
Authors: Linda D Breeman; Sylvia van der Pal; Gijsbert H W Verrips; Nicole Baumann; Peter Bartmann; Dieter Wolke Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2016-09-22 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Dag Alnæs; Tobias Kaufmann; Andre F Marquand; Stephen M Smith; Lars T Westlye Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2020-05-14 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Mario Maj; Jim van Os; Marc De Hert; Wolfgang Gaebel; Silvana Galderisi; Michael F Green; Sinan Guloksuz; Philip D Harvey; Peter B Jones; Dolores Malaspina; Patrick McGorry; Jouko Miettunen; Robin M Murray; Keith H Nuechterlein; Victor Peralta; Graham Thornicroft; Ruud van Winkel; Joseph Ventura Journal: World Psychiatry Date: 2021-02 Impact factor: 49.548