Abstract #0866

Structural correlates of Executive Functions in children born moderate-to-late preterm and full-term

Joana Sa de Almeida^1,2,3, Lauren Rossetti^2,4, Courtney Gilchrist^2,3,5, Rheanna M Mainzer^2,6, Petra S. Hüppi¹, Marc Seal^3,5, Peter J. Anderson^2,4,7, Deanne Thompson^2,3,4,5, and Jeanie Cheong^2,8,9

¹Division of Development and Growth, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, ²Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia, ³Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia, ⁴School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, ⁵Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, ⁶Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia, ⁷Department of Pediatrics, UC Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States, ⁸8. Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, ⁹Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Synopsis

Keywords: Neuro, Microstructure, Preterm birth, SMT, DKI, Executive Functions

Motivation: Differences in brain regions related to Executive Functions (EF) between children born moderate-to-late preterm (MLP) and full-term (FT), and associations between brain structure and EF performance remain largely unknown.

Goal(s): Investigate microstructural differences, between MLP and FT children, in cortical and subcortical EF-related regions and assess associations between these brain regions, microstructure and EF outcomes.

Approach: 201 MLP and 201 FT children were recruited at birth in Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, and invited at 9-10 years-old to complete EF assessments and undergo MRI.

Results: Moderate-to-late preterm birth results in increased cortical microstructural diffusivities in EF regions, impacting mostly attentional control and cognitive flexibility.

Impact: Regional microstructure relates to Executive Functions outcomes, with increased cortical diffusivities linked to poorer outcomes, while increased subcortical diffusivities relate to better performance. Moderate-to-late preterm birth results in increased cortical diffusivity in EF-related regions, impacting attentional control and cognitive flexibility.

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