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Intrauterine Growth and Neuropsychological Performance in Very Low Birth Weight Preschoolers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2012

Sarah Raz ,
Angela K. DeBastos ,
Julie Bapp Newman  and
Daniel Batton
Sarah Raz*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
Angela K. DeBastos
Affiliation:
Division of Pediatric Neuropsychology, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, District Columbia
Julie Bapp Newman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychology program, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
Daniel Batton
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Southern Illinois University Medical School, Springfield, Illinois
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Sarah Raz, Developmental Neuropsychology Laboratory, the Merrill-Palmer Skillman Institute, Wayne State University, 71 E. Ferry, Detroit, Michigan 48202. E-mail: sarahraz@wayne.edu
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Abstract

In this study we examined the association between intrauterine growth, indexed either as a categorical variable or continuous dimension, and neuropsychological outcome, in a very low birth weight (VLBW) sample of 143 preschoolers. When the commonly used split at the 10th percentile rank was applied to classify intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), we found that the growth restricted group (n = 25) exhibited significantly poorer performance in the global motor domain, but not on any other neuropsychological measure. In contrast, when adequacy of intrauterine growth was indexed by standardized birth weight, a continuous dimension, this early risk factor explained a unique portion of the variance in global cognitive abilities and visuospatial skills, as well as in global, fine, and gross motor skills. These findings are consistent with recent magnetic resonance imaging data disclosing global neurodevelopmental changes in the brains of preterm infants with IUGR. When cases classified with IUGR (<10th percentile) were excluded, the relationship between adequacy of intrauterine growth and global cognitive abilities remained significant despite range restriction. Hence, an association between appropriateness of intrauterine growth and global intellectual outcome may be observed even within the population of VLBW preschoolers with adequate standardized birth weight. (JINS, 2012, 18, 200–211)

Keywords

Preterm birthIntrauterine growth retardationPreschool childrenIntelligence testsMotor skillsLanguage tests
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , March 2012 , pp. 200 - 211
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2012

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