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Language performance and brain volumes, asymmetry, and cortical thickness in children born extremely preterm
(Springer Nature, 2024-03) Kvanta, Hedvig; Bolk, Jenny; Broström, Lina; Nosko, Daniela; Fernández de Gamarra Oca, Lexuri; Padilla, Nelly; Ådén, Ulrika
Background: Children born preterm are more prone to have language difficulties. Few studies focus on children born extremely preterm (EPT) and the structural differences in language-related regions between these children and children born at term. Methods: Our study used T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to calculate the brain volumetry, brain asymmetry, and cortical thickness of language-related regions in 50 children born EPT and 37 term-born controls at 10 years of age. The language abilities of 41 of the children born EPT and 29 term-born controls were then assessed at 12 years of age, using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition and the Clinical Evaluations of Language Fundamentals, Fourth Edition. The differences between MRI parameters and their associations with language outcomes were compared in the two groups. Results: Brain volume and cortical thickness of language-related regions were reduced in children born EPT, but volumetric asymmetry was not different between children born EPT and at term. In children born EPT the brain volume was related to language outcomes, prior to adjustments for full-scale IQ. Conclusions: These findings expand our understanding of the structural correlates underlying impaired language performance in children born with EPT. Impact: The article expands understanding of the structure-function relationship between magnetic resonance imaging measurements of language-related regions and language outcomes for children born extremely preterm beyond infancy. Most literature to date has focused on very preterm children, but the focus in this paper is on extreme prematurity and language outcomes. While the brain volume and cortical thickness of language-related regions were reduced in children born EPT only the volume, prior to adjustment for full-scale IQ, was associated with language outcomes. We found no differences in volumetric asymmetry between children born EPT and at term.
Maternal care and general cognitive functioning in moderate and late preterm-born children
(Elsevier Ltd, 2022-10) Fernández de Gamarra Oca, Lexuri; Ojeda del Pozo, Natalia; Loureiro González, Begoña; Sierra Ibarbia, Andrea; García Guerrero, Acebo; Peña Lasa, Javier; Ibarretxe Bilbao, Naroa; Zubiaurre Elorza, Leire
Aim: To establish the neuropsychological profile in moderate and late preterm (MLPT) samples during childhood, and to assess the potential role of early life environmental factors in cognitive outcomes. Methods: One hundred-and-six children took part in this study, including 42 moderate preterm (Mage=11.57 years; Mdage: 12; SDage=1.77), 33 late preterm (Mage=12.21 years; Mdage: 12; SDage=0.78) and 31 full-term children (Mage=11.42 years; Mdage: 12; SDage=1.84). All participants underwent an environmental, emotional-behavioural, life satisfaction, functionality, resilience, and cognitive assessment. Results: Significant differences were found in several cognitive domains among groups. Further, the maternal care measure moderated the relationship between the degree of maturity/immaturity at birth and general cognitive functioning score (F(4,1014101)= 3.72, p = 0.007, R2 = 0.13). Conclusions: The findings showed different neuropsychological profiles during childhood, with the moderate preterm sample reporting lower values. Additionally, the appropriate level of maternal care measure used in this study seems to have had a protective effect on cognitive development.
Long-term brain structural and cognitive outcomes in a low-risk preterm-born sample
(Nature Research, 2024-12) Fernández de Gamarra Oca, Lexuri; Ojeda del Pozo, Natalia; Ontañón Garcés , José María; Loureiro González, Begoña; Gómez-Gastiasoro, Ainara; Peña Lasa, Javier; Ibarretxe Bilbao, Naroa; García Guerrero, Acebo; Zubiaurre Elorza, Leire
Prematurity has been related to altered brain structure and cognition, and so our aim was to describe them in the absence of major structural brain injury following low-risk preterm birth during adolescence and young adulthood. The sample consisted of 250 participants, 132 of whom were low-risk preterm (30–36 weeks’ gestational age) and 118 were full-term individuals (37–42 weeks’ gestational age), aged between 16 and 38 years old. All participants underwent an extensive neuropsychological assessment. T1- and diffusion-weighted MRI images of 33 low-risk preterm and 31 full-term young adults (20–32 years old) were analyzed. No differences were found in terms of general cognitive functioning score or current socioeconomic status; however, the low-risk preterm group obtained lower scores in phonetic and semantic fluencies, and theory of mind. Significant reductions were identified in the thalamus volume as well as thicker cortex in the inferior temporal gyrus in the low-risk preterm group. Low-risk preterm young adults evidenced greater regional AD and MD compared to the full-term sample; while low-risk preterm group showed lower mean NDI and ODI (FWE-corrected, p < 0.05). Being born preterm is associated with poorer performance in various cognitive domains (i.e., phonetic and semantic fluencies, and theory of mind) later in life, along with differences in normative structural brain development in inferior temporal gyrus and regional white matter microstructure.
Preterm birth and early life environmental factors: neuropsychological profiles at adolescence and young adulthood
(Springer Nature, 2023-11) Fernández de Gamarra Oca, Lexuri; Zubiaurre Elorza, Leire; Gómez-Gastiasoro, Ainara; Molins Sauri, Marta; Loureiro González, Begoña; Peña Lasa, Javier; García Guerrero, Acebo; Ibarretxe Bilbao, Naroa; Bruna i Rabassa, Olga; Junqué i Plaja, Carme; Macaya Ruiz, Alfons; Poca Pastor, Maria Antònia; Ojeda del Pozo, Natalia
Objectives: To establish neuropsychological profiles after high- and low-risk preterm birth (i.e., with and without neonatal brain injury) during adolescence and young adulthood and to assess the potential role of early life environmental factors in cognition. Study design: Participants (N = 177; Mage = 20.11 years) of both sexes were evaluated when adolescent or in young adulthood. They were grouped according to their birth status: 30 high-risk preterm, 83 low-risk preterm and 64 born at full term. Results: Significant differences were found in several cognitive domains between groups. Furthermore, familial socioeconomic status (SES) moderated the relation between the degree of maturity/immaturity at birth and cognition (F (5,171) = 11.94, p < 0.001, R 2 = 0.26). Discussion: The findings showed different neuropsychological profiles during adolescence and young adulthood, with the high-risk preterm sample evidencing lower cognitive values. In addition, higher scores in the familial SES score in this study seem to have a protective effect on cognition.
Hippocampal volumes and cognitive performance in children born extremely preterm with and without low-grade intraventricular haemorrhage
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2023-06) Fernández de Gamarra Oca, Lexuri; Kvanta, Hedvig; Broström, Lina; Nosko, Daniela; Eklöf, E.; Ojeda del Pozo, Natalia; Zubiaurre Elorza, Leire; Padilla, N.; Ådén, Ulrika
Children born extremely preterm, especially those with intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), are at increased risk of adverse cognitive outcomes during childhood. The present study aimed to explore the effects of IVH (grades I–II) on hippocampal volumes, and their correlates with cognitive performance. The sample consisted of 94 participants, including 54 children born extremely preterm (19 with IVH, grades I–II), and 40 children born at term. All participants underwent a magnetic resonance imaging study at the age of 10 (Mage = 10.20 years; SDage = 0.78), and 74 of them (45 extremely preterm and 29 full-term) carried out a cognitive assessment at 12 years old. Children born extremely preterm had lower scores in cognitive performance compared to their full-term peers. Significant positive partial correlations were observed between global bilateral hippocampus, left CA-field, and left subiculum volumes with processing speed in the full-term group, while no significant correlations were found in the extremely preterm group. Moderation analyses in the extremely preterm sample revealed that low-grade IVH moderated the relationship between right hippocampal volume and full-IQ (F(4,40) =5.42, p = 0.001, R2 = 0.35). Having greater right hippocampal volume had a protective effect on full-IQ in those children born extremely preterm with low-grade IVH.