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

Objective: 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. Methods: Sixty-six infants born extremely preterm (<28 gestational weeks) were followed until 6.5 years. Neurobehavior at term age was assessed by the behavior subscale of the Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination (HNNE) using dichotomic rating, optimal, and non-optimal. The Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales (GMDS) at 2 years, and the Wechsler Intelligence Scales at 6.5 years, and a Neuropsychological Assessment at 6.5 years were used to assess neurodevelopment and neurocognitive performance including social cognition skills. Results: An optimal auditory orientation at term age was associated with better developmental quotients (DQ) in Personal-Social, and Hearing-Language GMDS subscale at 2 years ( p < 0.05). An optimal visual alertness was associated with better Total ( p < 0.01), Locomotor ( p < 0.001), and Eye-Hand Coordination ( p < 0.01) DQs at 2 years, and with sensorimotor function ( p < 0.001) and social perception ( p < 0.01) tests at 6.5 years. Conclusion: The neurobehavioral characteristics of newborns might serve as a precursor of social cognition skills and the HNNE behavior subscale offers a tool to identify infants at risk for later deficits in neurodevelopment and social cognition.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2021 Aho, Metsäranta, Lönnberg, Wolford and Lano.)