Visual attention performance in term born and preterm infants with different perinatal risk

Abstract

Study aim: Preterms are undoubtly at high risk for cognitive developmental delay and impairment. Early assessment is crucial but lacks of reliable and valid procedures. Attention, processing speed and recognition memory are relevant aspects of cognitive development in infancy, thus respective paradigms are of high importance for early diagnosis. The present study investigates the practicability and informative value of a visual habituation-dishabituation-task with categorial stimuli (Pahnke & Pauen, 2006). Methods: Visual speed of processing and memory was assessed in 30 preterms with birth weight 1500g and 30 term borns. In the visual categorization task infants were familiarized with 10 similar looking abstract geometric stimuli and were then tested with another stimulus of contrasting shape and color. As dependent variables different measures of looking duration, strength of habituation and strength of dishabituation were examined. Global development was assessed with a developmental test (Bayley-II), sex and school graduation of parents were controlled for. Results: Data collection has been completed. Preliminary analyses show significant longer total looking times during habituation for preterms with very low birth weight compared to term born infants (Z=–2.00, p<0.05). Data of preterms with higher birth weight are currently coded. Looking times of these infants seem to differ from those of term borns as well. Correlation analyses of looking duration with developmental test scores are in progress. Discussion: Results suggest that total looking time – indicating speed of processing – might play a key role for explaining differences in cognitive performance of preterm and term born infants. Longer looking times seem to be linked with worse cognitive performance in preterms. Future analyses are necessary in order to prove reliability of this assessment procedure and enhance clinical use.