A crucial role for white matter alterations in interference control problems of very preterm children.
BACKGROUND
Attention problems are among the most prominent behavioral deficits reported in very preterm children (below 32 wk of gestation) at school age. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the brain abnormalities underlying attention problems in very preterm children by investigating the role of abnormalities in white and gray brain matter during interference control, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-guided probabilistic diffusion tensor tractography.


METHODS
Twenty-nine very preterm children (mean (SD) age: 8.6 (0.3) y), and 47 term controls (mean (SD) age: 8.7 (0.5) y), performed a fMRI version of the Eriksen Flanker task measuring interference control.


RESULTS
Very preterm children showed slower reaction times than term controls when interfering stimuli were presented, indicating poorer interference control. Very preterm children and term controls did not differ in mean activation of the cortical regions involved in interference control. However, impaired fractional anisotropy (FA) was found in very preterm children in specifically those fiber tracts that innervate the cortical regions involved in interference control. Lower FA was related to poorer interference control in very preterm children.


CONCLUSIONS
White matter alterations have a crucial role in the interference control problems of very preterm children at school age.
Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Vrije Universiteit (VU) University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jorrit F
JF
de Kieviet
Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Vrije Universiteit (VU) University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Dirk J
DJ
Heslenfeld
Department of Physics and Medical Technology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Petra J W
PJ
Pouwels
Department of Paediatrics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Harrie N
HN
Lafeber
Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
R Jeroen
RJ
Vermeulen
1] Department of Paediatrics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands [2] Danone Research Centre for Specialized Nutrition, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Ruurd M
RM
van Elburg
Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Vrije Universiteit (VU) University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jaap
J
Oosterlaan
D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D011930:Reaction Time; D066127:White Matter / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000503:physiopathology