Prediction of neurodevelopment in preterm infants: From the neonatal intensive care unit into adulthood

Medina-Alva P. · Diagnosis, Management and Modeling of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: The Neuroscience of Development (2021) · DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-817988-8.00031-2

Resumen

Prematurity is a chronic condition with consequences extending from birth into adulthood. Risk factors for neurodevelopmental impairment in preterm babies include gender, gestational age, and birth weight. However, direct effects of prematurity can be modified by subsequent experiences and postnatal environmental factors determining long-term cognitive and academic outcomes. Most studies that focus on prediction of neurodevelopment at 2 years of age use neurological examination, general movements, serial and term-age neuroimaging (brain sonography and magnetic resonance), and other tools with variable accuracy of results. The majority of preterms survive with only mild to moderate disability, with lower intelligence quotients and impaired executive functions, working and visual memory, and social skills. Neurodevelopment at school age in preterms is likely to affect multiple domains and is associated with lower school grades, primarily in math, language, and physical education. Adolescent and adulthood implications of prematurity are not fully determined and include a higher risk of psychiatric and behavioral disorders, as well as metabolic conditions.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia