Auditory event-related potentials and cognitive function of preterm children at five years of age

Mikkola, Kaija; Kushnerenko, Elena; Partanen, Eino; Serenius-Sirve, Silve; Leipälä, Jaana; Huotilainen, Minna; Fellman, Vineta

doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2007.04.012

« Previous Next »Clinical Neurophysiology
Volume 118, Issue 7 , Pages 1494-1502, July 2007

Auditory event-related potentials and cognitive function of preterm children at five years of age☆

Kaija Mikkola
- Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital, University of Helsinki, Tukholmankatu 8 A 5. krs, P.O. Box 448, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +358 9 4717 5727; fax: +358 9 4717 5737.
Elena Kushnerenko
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, School of Psychology, Birkberg College, London, UK
Eino Partanen
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland
Silve Serenius-Sirve
- The Finnish Children’s Welfare Association/ADHD Centre, Helsinki, Finland
Jaana Leipälä
- Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital, University of Helsinki, Tukholmankatu 8 A 5. krs, P.O. Box 448, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Kuopio, Finland
Minna Huotilainen
- Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland
Vineta Fellman
- Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital, University of Helsinki, Tukholmankatu 8 A 5. krs, P.O. Box 448, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics, Lund University, Sweden

Accepted 17 April 2007.

Abstract

Objective

In our previous study, auditory event-related potentials (AERPs) in preterm 1-year-old children had a positive deflection at 150–350ms that correlated positively with their 2-year neurodevelopmental outcome. In a study of the same subjects at age 5, our aim was to assess AERPs and their relationship to neuropsychological test results.

Methods

Preterm small (SGA, n=13), appropriate for gestational age (AGA, n=15), and control (n=13) children were assessed with an Easy paradigm presenting a large frequency change accompanied with occasional novel sounds, and a Challenging paradigm presenting small frequency and duration changes with a rapid rate. The preterm children underwent neurocognitive tests.

Results

Easy paradigm. The P1 response to frequency deviant was smaller and MMN larger in the preterm than in the control children. Challenging paradigm. The P1 response to standard, frequency, and duration deviants was smaller in the preterm than in the control children. The N2 response to frequency deviant was larger in the preterm than in the control children. AGA and SGA children had similar AERPs. The P1, N2, and MMN amplitudes correlated with verbal IQ and NEPSY language subtests.