title: Auditory event-related potentials are related to cognition at preschool age after very preterm birth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Auditory event-related potentials (AERP) are neurophysiological correlates of sound perception and cognitive processes. Our aim was to study in very preterm born children at preschool age if AERP correlate with cognitive outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy children (mean ± SD gestational age 27.4 ± 1.9 wk, birth weight 996 ± 288 g) were investigated at age 4.3-5.3 y with psychological testing (WPPSI-R, four subtests of NEPSY). Electroencephalogram was recorded while they listened to a repeated standard tone, randomly replaced by one of three deviants. Latencies and amplitudes for AERP components and mean amplitudes in successive 50-ms AERP time windows were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Better cognitive test results and higher gestational age correlated with shorter P1 latencies and more positive mean amplitudes 150-500 ms after stimulus change onset. Neonatal brain damage was associated with a negative displacement of AERP curves. Neonatal morbidity had an impact on earlier time windows while gestational age and brain damage on both early and later time windows.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AERP measures were associated with cognitive outcome. Neonatal morbidity mainly affects early cortical auditory encoding, while immaturity and brain damage additionally influence higher cortical functions of auditory perception and distraction. Perinatal auditory environment might play a role in development of auditory processing.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Sciences, Lund and Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors: Holger
authors: H
authors: Hövel
authors: 1] MINDLab - Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University hospital, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark [2] Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Cognitive Science, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Eino
authors: E
authors: Partanen
authors: Department of Psychology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Tideman
authors: Department of Psychology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Stjernqvist
authors: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors: Lena
authors: L
authors: Hellström-Westas
authors: 1] Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Cognitive Science, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland [2] Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Minna
authors: M
authors: Huotilainen
authors: 1] Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Sciences, Lund and Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden [2] Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Vineta
authors: V
authors: Fellman
mesh_terms: D001307:Auditory Perception; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires