The association of children's mathematic abilities with both adults' cognitive abilities and intrinsic fronto-parietal networks is altered in preterm-born individuals.
Mathematic abilities in childhood are highly predictive for long-term neurocognitive outcomes. Preterm-born individuals have an increased risk for both persistent cognitive impairments and long-term changes in macroscopic brain organization. We hypothesized that the association of childhood mathematic abilities with both adulthood general cognitive abilities and associated fronto-parietal intrinsic networks is altered after preterm delivery. 72 preterm- and 71 term-born individuals underwent standardized mathematic and IQ testing at 8 years and resting-state fMRI and full-scale IQ testing at 26 years of age. Outcome measure for intrinsic networks was intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC). Controlling for IQ at age eight, mathematic abilities in childhood were significantly stronger positively associated with adults' IQ in preterm compared with term-born individuals. In preterm-born individuals, the association of children's mathematic abilities and adults' fronto-parietal iFC was altered. Likewise, fronto-parietal iFC was distinctively linked with preterm- and term-born adults' IQ. Results provide evidence that preterm birth alters the link of mathematic abilities in childhood and general cognitive abilities and fronto-parietal intrinsic networks in adulthood. Data suggest a distinct functional role of intrinsic fronto-parietal networks for preterm individuals with respect to mathematic abilities and that these networks together with associated children's mathematic abilities may represent potential neurocognitive targets for early intervention.
Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts Der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.|TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.|Institute of Medical Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
J G
JG
Bäuml
Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts Der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.|TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
C
C
Meng
Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.|Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
M
M
Daamen
Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
N
N
Baumann
Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
B
B
Busch
Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
P
P
Bartmann
Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.|Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
D
D
Wolke
Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
H
H
Boecker
Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts Der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.|TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
A
A
Wohlschläger
Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts Der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.|TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.|Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
C
C
Sorg
Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK. jjaekel@utk.edu.|Department of Child and Family Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA. jjaekel@utk.edu.|Department of Developmental Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. jjaekel@utk.edu.
Julia
J
Jaekel
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*
Fronto-parietal intrinsic networks; IQ in adulthood; Mathematic abilities in childhood; Preterm birth