Research progress on the neurocognitive development of small for gestational age
10.11852/zgetbjzz2023-0382
- VernacularTitle:小于胎龄儿神经认知发育的研究进展
- Author:
Weiqin WANG
1
;
Zhongling LIU
1
;
Yanyan HUO
1
;
Qin WAN
2
;
Qiaoyun LIU
3
;
Dan WU
1
,
4
;
Lingyan CHEN
5
;
Jinjin CHEN
1
Author Information
1. Child Health Care Medical Division, Shanghai Children′s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
2. Department of Rehabilitation Science, East China Normal University
3. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Education, AI for Education, East China Normal University
4. Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Center for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center
5. University of Medical Science, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
small for gestational age infants;
neurocognitive development;
parenting;
breastfeeding
- From:
Chinese Journal of Child Health Care
2024;32(5):527-533
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Small for gestational age (SGA) infants are more likely to experience neurocognitive impairments compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. This paper reviews recent research on the neurocognitive development of SGA children. SGA can lead to a "brain-sparing effect" due to growth restriction, which may affect cerebral blood flow and brain structure. However, this does not guarantee normal brain development. Restrictive blood flow can result in changes in brain structure, such as reduced total white matter and gray matter volume in various brain regions, including the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum, ultimately leading to decreased head circumference. SGA children also exhibit lower scores in all neurocognitive domains, including intelligence, attention, memory, and executive function. This may result in poor academic performance and an increased risk of social, behavioral, and neurological problems, such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, visual and hearing impairments, as well as comorbidities like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), autism spectrum disorder(ASD), anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Several risk factors for SGA-related neurocognitive impairments have been identified, including gestational hypertension, abnormal gestational weight, smoking, and catch-up growth. Studies have shown that the best interventions to improve cognitive dysplasia include nutrient supplementation, continued breastfeeding, high-quality education, and appropriate early intervention (responsive parenting) are effective in improving cognitive outcomes for SGA children.
