Heidi Furre Østgård1, Anne Elisabeth Sølsnes2, Knut Jørgen Bjuland1, Lars Morten Rimol3, Marit Martinussen4, Ann-Mari Brubakk5, Asta Kristine Håberg6, Jon Skranes7, Gro Christine Christensen Løhaugen7. 1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. 2. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: anne.e.solsnes@ntnu.no. 3. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Medicine, University of Haw, ai'i, Honolulu, HI, USA. 4. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics, St Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. 5. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, St Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. 6. Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Medical Imaging, St Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. 7. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Being born with very low birth weight (VLBW; birth weight (BW) ≤1500 g) is associated with increased risk of maldevelopment of the immature brain which may affect neurological functioning. Deficits in attention and executive function problems have been reported in VLBW survivors compared with healthy subjects. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate attention and executive functions and to relate the clinical test results to cortical morphometry findings in VLBW young adults compared with term-born controls. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective follow-up study of three year cohorts of VLBW and control children from birth to adulthood. OUTCOME MEASURES: A comprehensive neuropsychological test battery was administered to 55 VLBW subjects born preterm (mean BW: 1217 g) and 81 term-born controls (mean BW: 3707 g) at age 19-20. Cerebral MRI was successfully obtained in 46 VLBW subjects and 61 controls. The FreeSurfer software package was applied for the cortical analyses based on T1-weighted MRI images. RESULTS: The VLBW group obtained inferior scores on 15 of the 29 neuropsychological measures assessing attention and executive function and on both the attention and executive function domain scores. We found positive correlations between the executive function domain score and cortical surface area, especially in the antero-medial frontal and the temporal lobes of the brain in the VLBW group. CONCLUSION: Young adults born with VLBW show deficits in attention and executive function compared with controls. The executive problems were related to smaller cortical surface area in brain regions known to be involved in higher order cognitive functioning.
BACKGROUND: Being born with very low birth weight (VLBW; birth weight (BW) ≤1500 g) is associated with increased risk of maldevelopment of the immature brain which may affect neurological functioning. Deficits in attention and executive function problems have been reported in VLBW survivors compared with healthy subjects. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate attention and executive functions and to relate the clinical test results to cortical morphometry findings in VLBW young adults compared with term-born controls. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective follow-up study of three year cohorts of VLBW and control children from birth to adulthood. OUTCOME MEASURES: A comprehensive neuropsychological test battery was administered to 55 VLBW subjects born preterm (mean BW: 1217 g) and 81 term-born controls (mean BW: 3707 g) at age 19-20. Cerebral MRI was successfully obtained in 46 VLBW subjects and 61 controls. The FreeSurfer software package was applied for the cortical analyses based on T1-weighted MRI images. RESULTS: The VLBW group obtained inferior scores on 15 of the 29 neuropsychological measures assessing attention and executive function and on both the attention and executive function domain scores. We found positive correlations between the executive function domain score and cortical surface area, especially in the antero-medial frontal and the temporal lobes of the brain in the VLBW group. CONCLUSION: Young adults born with VLBW show deficits in attention and executive function compared with controls. The executive problems were related to smaller cortical surface area in brain regions known to be involved in higher order cognitive functioning.
Authors: Steven J Korzeniewski; Robert M Joseph; So Hyun Kim; Elizabeth N Allred; T Michael OʼShea; Alan Leviton; Karl C K Kuban Journal: J Dev Behav Pediatr Date: 2017 Nov/Dec Impact factor: 2.225
Authors: Kari Anne I Evensen; Kristina Anna Djupvik Aakvik; Ingrid Marie Husby Hollund; Jon Skranes; Ann-Mari Brubakk; Marit S Indredavik Journal: Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol Date: 2022-07-22 Impact factor: 3.103
Authors: K Sripada; K J Bjuland; A E Sølsnes; A K Håberg; K H Grunewaldt; G C Løhaugen; L M Rimol; J Skranes Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2018-10-22 Impact factor: 4.379
Authors: Alexander Olsen; Emily L Dennis; Kari Anne I Evensen; Ingrid Marie Husby Hollund; Gro C C Løhaugen; Paul M Thompson; Ann-Mari Brubakk; Live Eikenes; Asta K Håberg Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2017-11-27 Impact factor: 6.556