Visual alertness and brain diffusion tensor imaging at term age predict neurocognitive development at preschool age in extremely preterm-born children.

Introduction: Cognitive development is characterized by the structural and functional maturation of the brain. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) provides methods of investigating the brain structure and connectivity and their correlations with the neurocognitive outcome. Our aim was to examine the relationship between early visual abilities, brain white matter structures, and the later neurocognitive outcome.

Extremely preterm children and relationships of minor neurodevelopmental impairments at 6 years.

Aim: This study investigated minor impairments in neurological, sensorimotor, and neuropsychological functioning in extremely preterm-born (EPT) children compared to term-born children. The aim was to explore the most affected domains and to visualize their co-occurrences in relationship maps.

Methods: A prospective cohort of 56 EPT children (35 boys) and 37 term-born controls (19 boys) were assessed at a median age of 6 years 7 months with Touwen Neurological Examination, Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition (MABC-2), Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT), and a Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, 2nd edition (NEPSY-II).

Latent class growth analysis identified different trajectories in cognitive development of extremely low birthweight children.

Background: Recent longitudinal studies suggest stable cognitive development in preterm children, although with great individual variation. This prospective neurocognitive follow-up study of extremely low birthweight (ELBW, <1000 g) children aimed to characterise groups with different developmental trajectories from preschool to preteen age.

Methods: ELBW children (n=115) born in Finland in 1996-1997 participated in cognitive assessments at a median age of 5.

Effect of childhood developmental coordination disorder on adulthood physical activity; Arvo Ylppö longitudinal study.

Individuals at risk of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have low levels of physical activity in childhood due to impaired motor competence; however, physical activity levels in adulthood have not been established. This study sought to determine the impact of DCD risk on physical activity levels in adults using accelerometry measurement. Participants (n = 656) from the Arvo Ylppö Longitudinal Study cohort had their motor competence assessed at the age of five years, and their physical activity quantified via device assessment at the age of 25 years.

ADHD symptoms and diagnosis in adult preterms: systematic review, IPD meta-analysis, and register-linkage study.

Background: This study examined differences in ADHD symptoms and diagnosis between preterm and term-born adults (≥18 years), and tested if ADHD is related to gestational age, birth weight, multiple births, or neonatal complications in preterm borns.

Methods: (1) A systematic review compared ADHD symptom self-reports and diagnosis between preterm and term-born adults published in PubMed, Web of Science, and PROQUEST until April 2021; (2) a one-stage Individual Participant Data(IPD) meta-analysis (n = 1385 preterm, n = 1633 term; born 1978-1995) examined differences in self-reported ADHD symptoms[age 18-36 years]; and (3) a population-based register-linkage study of all live births in Finland (01/01/1987-31/12/1998; n = 37538 preterm, n = 691,616 term) examined ADHD diagnosis risk in adulthood (≥18 years) until 31/12/2016.

Results: Systematic review results were conflicting.

Optimism in adults born preterm: Systematic review and individual-participant-data meta-analysis.

Aim: Preterm birth(<37 gestational weeks) is associated with numerous adversities, however, data on positive developmental outcomes remain limited. We examined if preterm and term born(≥37 gestational weeks) adults differ in dispositional optimism/pessimism, a personality trait associated with health and wellbeing. We assessed if birth weight z-score, neurosensory impairments and parental education modified the outcome.

Newborn Neurobehavior Is Related to Later Neurodevelopment and Social Cognition Skills in Extremely Preterm-Born Children: A Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of the neonatal neurobehavioral characteristics to act as an indicator for later neurodevelopment and neurocognitive performance. Sixty-six infants born extremely preterm (<28 gestational weeks) were followed until 6.5 years.

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Early oxygen levels contribute to brain injury in extremely preterm infants.

Background: Extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs) are at risk of neurodevelopmental impairments that may originate in early NICU care. We hypothesized that early oxygen saturations (SpO), arterial pO levels, and supplemental oxygen (FiO) would associate with later neuroanatomic changes.

Methods: SpO, arterial blood gases, and FiO from 73 ELGANs (GA 26.

Analysis of neurodevelopmental outcomes of preadolescents born with extremely low weight revealed impairments in multiple developmental domains despite absence of cognitive impairment.

Background And Aims: Children with extremely low-birth weight (ELBW) have a high risk for cognitive, motor, and attention impairments and learning disabilities. Longitudinal follow-up studies to a later age are needed in order to increase understanding of the changes in neurodevelopmental trajectories in targeting timely intervention. The aims of this study were to investigate cognitive and motor outcomes, attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) behaviour, school performance, and overall outcomes in a national cohort of ELBW children at preadolescence, and minor neuromotor impairments in a subpopulation of these children and to compare the results with those of full-term controls.

Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and gestational diabetes and dietary intakes among young adult offspring.

Background/objectives: Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity and gestational diabetes (GDM) are associated with increased fat deposition in adult offspring. The purpose of this study was to identify if maternal pre-pregnancy overweight (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m) or GDM are associated with dietary quality or intake in adult offspring.

Subjects/methods: Participants (n = 882) from two longitudinal cohort studies (ESTER Maternal Pregnancy Disorders Study and the Arvo Ylppö Longitudinal Study) completed a validated food-frequency questionnaire at a mean age of 24.

A protocol for the analysis of DTI data collected from young children.

Analysis of scalar maps obtained by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) produce valuable information about the microstructure of the brain white matter. The DTI scanning of child populations, compared with adult groups, requires specifically designed data acquisition protocols that take into consideration the trade-off between the scanning time, diffusion strength, number of diffusion directions, and the applied analysis techniques. Furthermore, inadequate normalization of DTI images and non-robust tensor reconstruction have profound effects on data analyses and may produce biased statistical results.

Altered working memory-related brain responses and white matter microstructure in extremely preterm-born children at school age.

Preterm birth poses a risk for neurocognitive and behavioral development. Preterm children, who have not been diagnosed with neurological or cognitive deficits, enter normal schools and are expected to succeed as their term-born peers. Here we tested the hypotheses that despite an uneventful development after preterm birth, these children might exhibit subtle abnormalities in brain function and white-matter microstructure at school-age.

Systematic review of sensory processing in preterm children reveals abnormal sensory modulation, somatosensory processing and sensory-based motor processing.

Aim: Preterm birth poses concerns in daily functioning and behaviour in childhood, possibly connected to sensory processing disorder. This review aimed to systematically identify assessments, incidence and nature of sensory processing disorder in preterm-born infants and children.

Methods: We searched literature through CINAHL-EBSCOhost, Cochrane, Ovid/PsychINFO, PubMed/Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar, published until November 2018.

Gestational Diabetes But Not Prepregnancy Overweight Predicts for Cardiometabolic Markers in Offspring Twenty Years Later.

Context: Maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and prepregnancy overweight/obesity [body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2] might adversely affect offspring cardiometabolic health.

Objective: To assess the associations between maternal GDM and prepregnancy overweight/obesity with adult offspring cardiometabolic risk factors.

Design: Longitudinal cohort study (ESTER Maternal Pregnancy Disorders Study and the Arvo Ylppö Longitudinal Study).

Maternal early pregnancy body mass index and diurnal salivary cortisol in young adult offspring.

Background Maternal early pregnancy overweight (body mass index [BMI] 25.0-29.9 kg/m) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m) are associated with mental and physical health adversities in the offspring.

Preterm Birth Changes Networks of Newborn Cortical Activity.

Preterm birth is the greatest risk factor for lifelong neurocognitive deficits, globally. The effect of prematurity on early cortical network function has, however, remained poorly understood. Here, we developed a novel methodology that allows reliable assessment of functional connectivity in neonatal brain activity at millisecond and multisecond scales in terms of cortical phase and amplitude correlations, respectively.

Musculoskeletal pain in adults born preterm: Evidence from two birth cohort studies.

Background: Individuals born preterm are at risk of later developmental problems and long-term morbidities. There is conflicting evidence regarding musculoskeletal pain in young adulthood. We investigated the prevalence of self-reported musculoskeletal pain in young adults born across the range of preterm birth compared with a term-born reference group.

Sensory-motor performance in seven-year-old children born extremely preterm.

Background: Children born preterm are prone to motor problems. Research on their motor performance has, however, rarely been integrated with sensory processing.

Aim: To examine sensory-motor performance in children born extremely preterm (EPT).

Premature birth and circadian preference in young adulthood: evidence from two birth cohorts.

A preference for eveningness (being a "night owl") and preterm birth (<37 weeks of gestation) are associated with similar adversities, such as elevated blood pressure, impaired glucose regulation, poorer physical fitness, and lower mood. Yet, it remains unclear if and how preterm birth is associated with circadian preference. The aim of this study was to assess this association across the whole gestation range, using both objective and subjective measurements of circadian preference.