COGNITIVE DEFICITS IN HIGH RISK INFANTS

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The present revised proposal is a systematic study of the development of preterms' capability for intersensory integration, an ability often considered a prerequisite for later symbolic and cognitive functioning. The proposal builds on past work in whcch we pinpointed cognitive deficits during the latter half of the first year of life in cross-modal transfer of visual and tactual information, biosensory processing, and visual recognition memory. These deficits were found even though preterms were tested at corrected age, i.e., age from expected data of birth. In this study we will (1) limit our sample to preterms at highest risk (less than 1500 gms at birth); (2) assess factors likely to modulate performance, including physical growth, neurological and medical status, minor physical abnormalities, SES, visual acuity and fine motor development; (3) carry out a longitudinal study (with multiple assessments at 6, 9, 12, 24, and 36 months) instead of the original cross-sectional design, thus establishing a growth function for these emerging cross-modal skills; (4) introduce follow-up measures at 24 and 36 months to assess the predictive validity of our measures for later cognitive impairment. The aims of the assessments are: (1) to explore whether the cross-modal deficits in preterms arise from modality specific deficits in acquiring tactual information, general deficits, or deficits in sensory integration per se; (2) to test whether differential memory factors are implicated in cross-modal deficits by imposing delays between familiarization and tests for recognition; (3) to test the involvement of memory in the opposite way; by trying to rule out memory from familiarization and testing; and (4) to explore the reason that manipulation of an object interfered with visual recognition memory of it in the biosensory task. Pinpointing the factors involved in early disabilities is of fundamental importance for understanding the ontogeny of later deficits and disorders, for developing early diagnostic instruments, and for the rationale design of intervention programs.