Νeuropsychological and behavioural profile of adults born very preterm

Abstract

Thesis AbstractBackground The aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term effects of very preterm birth on cognition and behaviour. Earlier studies have shown that very preterm children and adolescents have smaller brain volumes and perform poorer than their full-term peers on cognitive tasks. It has also been found that very preterm birth is associated with a high risk of developing behavioural problems. The present thesis is part of a study that has followed-up very preterm individuals that were admitted to University College Hospital Neonatal Unit. Methods Very preterm individuals born between 1979 and 1982 that had been enrolled in the UCH study were contacted. 61 very preterm individuals agreed to participate in the study. 64 full-term age-matched controls were also recruited. Participants were assessed on IQ, language, memory and executive function tests. They also completed questionnaires about their cognitive performance, social functioning, quality of life, and psychosis-proneness. Results Very preterm participants had lower IQ scores than the full-term participants, but were within the normal range. They also scored more poorly in the language and the executive function assessment. No differences between the two groups were found in the memory assessment. Although very preterm participants performed poorly on the cognitive assessment, they did not report a higher frequency of cognitive failures in the self-report questionnaires. No differences between the two groups were found in the reported quality of life, social functioning and psychoses-proneness. Conclusions Very preterm birth has long-term effects on cognitive function but the individuals themselves do not recognise any impairment of their function.

Στόχος της μελέτης ήταν η διερεύνηση των μακροπρόθεσμων συνεπειών της πολύ πρόωρης γέννησης στην ανάπτυξη του εγκεφάλου, στην γνωστική λειτουργία και την συμπεριφορά. Μελετήθηκε η γνωστική λειτουργία και τα προβλήματα συμπεριφοράς 61 νεαρών ενηλίκων που είχαν γεννηθεί πολύ πρόωρα από το 1979 μέχρι το 1982. Αντίστοιχα εξετάστηκαν 64 συνομήλικοι μάρτυρες χωρίς ιστορικό περιγεννετικών επιπλοκών και με τελειόμηνη κύηση. Σύμφωνα με τα αποτελέσματα της μελέτης, οι νεαροί ενήλικες με ιστορικό προωρότητας εμφάνισαν χαμηλότερη επίδοση σε δοκιμασίες γλωσσικής ανάπτυξης και σε δοκιμασίες εκτελεστικής λειτουργίας. Οι νεαροί ενήλικες που γεννήθηκαν πολύ πρόωρα δεν αναφέρουν περισσότερα προβλήματα συμπεριφοράς σε σύγκριση με τους τελειόμηνους της ομάδας ελέγχου.