title: Visual memory and learning in extremely low-birth-weight/extremely preterm adolescents compared with controls: a geographic study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Contemporary data on visual memory and learning in survivors born extremely preterm (EP; <28 weeks gestation) or with extremely low birth weight (ELBW; <1,000 g) are lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  Geographically determined cohort study of 298 consecutive EP/ELBW survivors born in 1991 and 1992, and 262 randomly selected normal-birth-weight controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visual learning and memory data were available for 221 (74.2%) EP/ELBW subjects and 159 (60.7%) controls. EP/ELBW adolescents exhibited significantly poorer performance across visual memory and learning variables compared with controls. Visual learning and delayed visual memory were particularly problematic and remained so after controlling for visual-motor integration and visual perception and excluding adolescents with neurosensory disability, and/or IQ <70. Male EP/ELBW adolescents or those treated with corticosteroids had poorer outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EP/ELBW adolescents have poorer visual memory and learning outcomes compared with controls, which cannot be entirely explained by poor visual perceptual or visual constructional skills or intellectual impairment.
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville Victoria 3052 Australia. carly.molloy@mcri.edu.au.
authors.forename: Carly S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilson-Ching
authors.forename: Lex W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Vicki A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D052577:Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight / Q000523:psychology*; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: low birth weight; preterm; visual learning; visual memory